Ice Cubes
by FeastofDeath
Summary: Families are like ice cubes, perfect little square things that would melt when left in the water. Jack has doubts about his new family, which wasn't really surprising when you take into account his 300 years of solitude. But maybe, just maybe, the guardians might just pull off the whole 'family thing' for him. Oneshots about the winter spirit and his newfound family, the guardians.
1. Of Reading and Blushing

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **After all the pranks Jack has pulled, even the guardians wanted to see the little trouble maker embarrassed sometimes. They just didn't expect it to happen in the form of a leaflet.

**Of Reading and Blushing**

"Jack, are you… _blushing_?"

Four pairs of eyes were turned to the cornered winter spirit as he looked away rapidly, cursing himself for being so obvious. He was the winter spirit of mischief and fun! He shouldn't be so transparent in front of these… of these… well, of _them_! Of the guardians! He thought that 300 years of hiding hurt expressions behind mischievous smiles and smirks could do better than this!

"N-No…" Jack said and he bit his tongue when he accidentally stuttered. He looked away and let out a forced laugh. "What makes you say I'm blushing anyway? I mean, if it isn't so obvious, I _don't_ blush, being the winter spirit and all…" He mumbled.

The four guardians exchanged looks. Toothiana's amethyst eyes were surveying her comrades' faces which had different degrees of surprises. Bunnymund had a sort-of triumphant look on his face, probably relieved that even Jack could get embarrassed. North had a sort of confused surprised on his, staring at the leaflet frosted and crumpled on Jack's hand. The winter sprite had completely forgotten he still had it. While Sandy… Sandy had a silent, thoughtful but surprised look on his face, golden eyes surveying the teenage immortal, trying to gauge out the reason for the surprising turn of events.

Toothiana shook her head lightly. How did everything get to this point?

Let's rewind a bit on that.

Jack Frost was someone who wasn't easily embarrassed. Being the spirit of Winter and the guardian of fun, he took things into stride, like for example, even if he did slip in his own ice, instead of being horribly embarrassed, he'd laugh it off like it was a good joke.

The guardian of Fun wasn't self-conscious, like most teenagers are right now. He liked himself just the way he was, no shoes and all. He didn't even care if Bunny made fun of his worn-out frosted blue hoodie and out-of-date trousers. To Jack, what mattered was that his clothes were comfortable, and besides, Bunny barely wore any clothes, so what would he know about fashion anyway?

Also, there was the case of Jack always shifting the spotlight of attention to the yetis, the elves, or occasionally to one of the guardians via pranks. The youngest guardian was never in the spot of hilarity and was never in the brunt of his own pranks. He pranked other people for his own amusement and for the amusement of others. The fact that he could fool people into doing silly things made him increase his own self-confidence and he had started to believe that he, the master of pranks, would never be pranked. Thus, he, Jack Frost, would never be embarrassed.

Which was why, it became Bunny's personal goal to prank the young guardian even once just to get him off his 'high horse'.

Every guardian wanted to get a rise of the cool and fun-loving new edition of their family. After being subjected to his jokes over and over again, they had this sudden and strong desire to see the white-haired boy face-palm, mutter in embarrassment, or if they were _really _lucky blush, when they finally get him with a prank.

But try as they may, whatever they did, they could never catch Jack at his own game.

The spirit of snow had laughed at all of their feeble attempts of pranking him: A bucket of warm water on top of the door- Sandy was, unfortunately, the victim of that; a laughing medicine in his cold chocolate, which was unfortunately- or fortunately?- drank by an excited elf; pink dye shampoo courtesy of Bunny- which had been used by an unknowing North; and finally the 'replace his toothpaste with glue'-plan which had been disapproved by the tooth fairy- but was still accidentally used by one of the yetis.

All in all, some outside force out there was protecting Jack from all of their pranks, and one by one the guardians had given up. All except Bunny who had persevered to get back on the 'gumby' with vengeance. But unfortunately, even the pooka had to withdraw when one of his 'pranks' had backfired on him, and he came out of North's office looking slightly bald and grumpy.

So ever since that disastrous week of 'Pranking Jack', the guardians had settled back to their quiet routines and busy schedules. They would meet once a month to discuss about the progress of each others' works and if the believers in the globe were steadily growing back to their usually large numbers.

Today was one of those days. Bunnymund, Toothiana, and Sandy were sitting around the table, waiting for North and Jack to arrive so that they could start the meeting, leave, and go back to their usual jobs.

Toothiana, was for once, not all excited and fluttering around. Rather, she was having a pleasant one-sided conversation with Sandy while Bunny was leaning back against his chair, watching the two as he elevated his sore legs.

Suddenly the window opened, and a cold wind blew, bringing with it flurries of snowflakes, blinding the three guardians in the room momentarily.

A happy laugh reached their ears as they blinked away the snowflakes blocking their sights. There was a telltale 'thud' of the window closing as they looked up and saw a hooded Jack smiling at them, blue eyes mischievous.

"Hey guys! Early as always I see! Geez, it won't hurt anyone if you're a little late." The newest guardian said as he pulled down his hood and gracefully walked towards the seat next to the Easter bunny. The pooka grunted in annoyance when he felt his fur stand-up slightly at the cold temperature Jack brought with him.

Sandy waved at the Frost boy while Tooth hovered towards Jack in excitement, her fingers itching to pry the boy's mouth open and to have a glimpse of his snow white teeth. Jack leaned back, still grinning but this time more uncertainly when he saw the excited glint in the amethyst eyes.

Thankfully, he was saved when the door to the Globe room opened and a certain Russian man entered.

" 'Ello fellow guard-!" The big man coughed as his voice came out gruffer than usual and slightly hoarse.

"Oh North!" Tooth gasped as she rushed to St. Nick's side in worry. "North, are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere? Is it a cavity?" She said as she fluttered around the well-known Santa.

Bunny sat up straight as Jack stood up, about to approach the old man. Sandy looked at North in worry. However, the jolly man just waved his hands in the air, signifying he was fine.

"It is fine… And no Tooth, it is not cavity." North said in a hoarse voice as he silently gestured Tooth to go back to her seat. The female guardian did so with hesitance. "Now, as you can see. I have a little _bolʹnoye gorlo_, a sore throat, no?" Santa said in his thick Russian accent. "Party last night with yetis. Very wild. Don't ask." He gave Bunny and Jack a pointed look. The pooka looked miffed and uninterested while Frost seemed excited to get the details out of North, _later_.

"If ya' weren't feeling so well mate, why send for us then?" The pooka said with crossed arms. "I could be paintin' my googies back at the warren right now, instead of puttin' up with a certain whacker." He grumbled.

"Ah, is tradition. I promised Manny…" North gave off a series of coughs before clearing his throat. "…promised Manny to check up on family often."

Tooth's worried expression morphed into a soft smile at the mention of family. Sandy gave the Russian a thumbs up, while Bunny just sighed, but he looked less annoyed. Jack was the only one with a guarded expression, but thankfully no one noticed this.

"Now…" North let off another cough. "Since I cannot use my _golos_ for too long, let us start meeting, no?"

Sandy made a question mark on top of his head but Tooth helpfully muttered, "He means 'voice'."

"Aye, let's get this over and done with, mate." Bunny said as he pulled his chair closer to the table. Jack sat Indian style, floating on the air as he watched North take out something from his red jacket. Blue eyes widened when he saw several papers on the other's hands before the guardian of Wonder began to distribute them to each guardian.

"Phil's idea. Since I cannot use voice much…" North coughed roughly as he patted his stomach. "He made leaflets! 'Tis good, no?"

Tooth took one and nodded, impressed at the printed paper. "Oh I see! That makes sense!" Amethyst eyes were reading across the paper in a fast pace. "This is a thoughtful idea of Phil's, North. This way, you won't strain yourself and we can still have our meeting!"

North nodded happily as he gave the remaining copies to Sandy, Bunny, and Jack. Bunny and Sandy accepted theirs easily, but when North all but shoved it into the Winter child's hand, Jack jumped away rapidly. His hand closed around the paper, effectively frosting it with his power.

Of course, this action did not go unmissed by anyone.

"Jack?" Tooth said as she stood up and stared at the bringer of winter. "Jack, is there something wrong?"

Jack was looking away from them, his expression unreadable, lips pursed. "This isn't funny you know." He said quietly.

Silence.

Aster looked over at the child as he also stood up from his seat. "What are you talkin' about, Frosty? No one's laughin'. What's got ya' so uptight, mate?" His green eyes were assessing the situation warily, wondering why the Winter spirit became guarded all of a sudden.

"Oh please." Jack let out a forced laugh. "Are you trying to prank me again guys? You know it's not going to work."

Sandy tilted his head as a question mark floated on top of his head. He looked at North who shrugged.

"Were you going to let me _read_ out of that _paper_ or something?" His voice was becoming higher, trembling slightly with each word. "You know, that wouldn't have worked…"

Tooth stared, uncomprehending at the bitter note in the boy's tone. Her amethyst eyes observed the other as she drew closer. Behind her, she could hear Bunny asking Jack to just say what he wanted to say because they couldn't understand what he was talking about.

"Jack?" The Winter spirit's eyes widened when he saw how close Tooth was all of a sudden. Jack stepped back, feeling like a cornered animal. He held his staff up defensively but Tooth ignored this.

"What do you mean 'that wouldn't have worked' Jack?" Tooth said as she fluttered about worriedly. "It's just reading, why are you so worried?"

Cerulean blue darkened to cobalt as Jack looked away, face incredibly pale.

"Jack, you can read right?" Tooth said, and behind her she heard surprised sounds from North and Bunny.

"Of course he can bloody read!" Bunny said as he gave Jack a challenging look. But when the youngest guardian avoided his eyes, his expression faltered as he said in a surprised tone. "Ya' can read, c-can't you?"

Jack let out another forced laugh. "O-Of course I can!"

Silence.

"Oh!" North let out a relived sigh. "That good! Now no problem and we go back to meeting, yah?" North said in an anxious but hoarse voice. Sandy was making signs about how everyone should approach this with caution but no one was paying him any attention.

Everyone was too busy staring at Jack.

"Jack…" Tooth said gently. The boy's face paled and the fairy found this strange. Normal people would be red from embarrassment from the attention and gentle tones directed at them, but Jack- instead of darkening- became paler with each second. And it wasn't the bad type of pale either. It was the glowing type of pale, almost like he was-

"Jack, are you… _blushing_?" Tooth asked surprised.

And that's how it led back to this…

"N-No…"

"Jack-" Tooth reached out again, but Jack jumped away, scowling.

"Stop it." He said, electric blue eyes shining with raw power, and it looked like it was taking everything in him to hold back the blizzard brewing inside him because of his distressed emotions. Already, a blast of cold air had sent the fliers Phil had prepared, flying around the room. "I can't read, okay?" He said in desperation and flash of sadness and surpise sparked in every guardians' eyes. "I spent 300 years trying to have the best time of my life and I never bothered to learn how to read, okay?"

"Jack we didn't-"

"You must've found out somehow…" Blue eyes were desperately looking at each of the guardian's faces, trying to find amusement, anything but worry that made his heart beat faster with uncertain feelings. "You must've planned everything, maybe North's sore throat was just an act-"

"Look Jack-"

The winter sprite slammed his shepherd's staff unto the ground sending a blast of cold air all around. Everyone braced themselves at the onslaught of cold. "Well it's not going to work! I can't read, so what? I'm not planning to learn reading any time soon! You can't trick me into reading and making a fool of myself because I _can't_ read. At all. You got that?"

Sandy waved his hands around, making several pictures with his sand, wanting to comfort that distraught teen but Jack had already turned his back on them and had jumped to the nearest window.

"Now, if that's all, I have to go and freeze the Sahara desert or something." He said, his back still turned as he opened the window widely. More snow came in and Tooth's feathers ruffled as she shivered. "Don't bother calling or checking up on me until at least a hundred years from now. I don't want to see you guys at the moment, I have a lot of stuff to do and-"

However before the newest guardian could finish, a warm but firm grip rested on his shoulder dragging him back into the warm atmosphere of North's meeting room.

"Oof!" Jack let out a grunt as he looked up and glared at the only person who would do that to him. "What do you think you're-!"

"Shut up ya' bloody whacker!" A hit on the head silenced him with a wince. Blue eyes glared at green ones as E. Aster Bunnymund glared at him impatiently.

Jack opened his mouth in defiance, but before he could get a word out, Sandy had grabbed a handful of cookies, rushed towards Jack and shoved it into his mouth.

"Thanks, Sandy." The pooka nodded in approval at the sandman, who gave a wink and a double thumbs up.

Jack's eyes began to water at the unexpected assault as Green eyes bore into him once more.

"Okay, look. I don't know what the bloody hell is going on in that whacker head of yours, but would ya' really think tha' _we _would make fun of the fact that ya' _can't read_ just to prank ya'?" Bunny reprimanded as he poked the teen on the chest with his paws. "I know we were kinda mean to ya' before-" There was a clearing of throat from Tooth and Sandy and Bunny rolled his eyes, "I mean, I know _I _was kind of mean to ya' before, but mate, I'm- _we're_ not tha' heartless!"

Jack looked up at Bunny, sapphire eyes wary and uncertain and the Easter Bunny's ears flopped a bit at the distrust he saw behind them.

"Look mate, I'm sorry about before." Bunnymund sighed as he ran his paws through his long ears. Jack's eyes widened at the apology. He was expecting anything coming out of the pooka's mouth, but an apology? "About getting angry at ya' 'cause of the whole Pitch thing… I wasn't thinking straight and all tha', I just got distressed with kids not being able to see me. Made me forget for a second tha' you've had it worse…" He mumbled and to the pooka's embarrassment, his ears were flopping in sadness and shame.

He cleared his throat and tried to continue. Sandy was silently cheering him on from behind, North was nodding on enthusiastically, and Jack could see Tooth smiling at him softly. "A-Anyway, y-you're a good guardian mate, despite everything I've said in the past. I don't care if you're a prankster, if you get into more trouble than you're worth, and if you can't read. All tha' matters is that ya' got your heart in the right place." He poked Snowflake one last time on the chest. "That's what counts."

Jack looked up, honestly surprised at what Bunny had just said. Not only did he get an apology from the proud pooka, but also a _praise!_ Something the Easter bunny hardly gave anyone.

The guardian of fun swallowed the cookies in his mouth so he could say something but, before he could speak he suddenly saw something very colorful shoot at him and tackle him into a hug.

"Oh Jack! Bunny's right! You could be blind for all we care and we'll love you either way!" Tooth said as her wings fluttered excitedly. Jack let out a winded laugh but it was an improvement from before and North and Sandy came to join the two.

"She is right, Jack my boy!" North said in a gruff tone. "So is Bunny! We not care if you cannot read! We teach you, yah?"

Sandy nodded vigorously as an image of a book appeared on his head, flipping the pages.

"T-Teach me?" Jack said, surprised as he looked up at the jolly Santa. "But you guys are always so busy. Tooth and Sandy-"

Sandy shook his head as Tooth finally let go of Jack, making him sigh in relief. "It doesn't matter Jack. The two of us will find time. We'll always make time for our family." She said and Sandy nodded as he gave a happy smile.

Jack's eyes lit up at the word, expression still guarded but softening into a smile. "Family…"

Bunny rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms. "I guess, this lone ankle-bitah still needs stuff like that huh?"

Jack glared at the pooka as his face began to glow white. The Easter Bunny blinked as he let out a laugh.

"Look! Ha! The whacker's blushing!" Bunny said triumphantly as Jack glowered at the floor, unable to control the emanating coldness from his face.

"Oh how cute! His face is as white as his teeth!" Tooth said, giggling. North let out a jolly laugh, which turned into coughs at the end. Sandy was patting the poor guy on the back.

None of the guardians noticed a soft smile gracing the pale lips of the youngest guardian as he turned to look at the still open window. Man in the Moon shone brightly that night, as though to express his approval at the scene unfolding before him. And if Jack didn't know better, it was like Manny was telling him to trust them, to trust the guardians, so that they would make him happy.

And Jack knew, that when the moon tells you something, you gotta believe it.

* * *

**Notes: **Well this idea just came out of nowhere. Since Jack seemed to have lived in a small house in the middle of the forest, I couldn't help but think that maybe he didn't learn to read in his past life, and even if he did, he wouldn't have remembered. So, I thought that even in the span of 300 years of trying to be noticed, Jack wouldn't have time to read about, and also no one would've taught him how to read anyway.

So, I hope everyone enjoyed this fic. The next one is about Jack's eyes and the different shades of blue it takes when he was in his different moods.

I know it might not sound that good but the chapter after that will be a nice one, I'm sure you'll like it.

This is my first RoTG fic, and comments and advices on the way the characters speak would be really helpful. Sorry for any grammatical error or misspells!

Thanks for reading and if you're not too busy, drop a review!


	2. Shades of Blue

**_Ice Cubes_  
**

**Summary: **His blue eyes reflected so many things. And as they watch him laugh and joke around, sometimes it's easy to forget, that the boy in front of them had suffered 300 years in silence.

**Shades of Blue**

"Jack has beautiful eyes." Tooth sighed, as beside her, her mini selves fluttered about in adoration and agreement. Sand and North both looked at her with curiosity and surprise at her queer statement.

It was rare for Tooth to notice something else other than Jack's perfectly white molars.

The three guardians were currently under a shade of colorful tree. Toothiana, North, Sandman, and even Jack had come to the Warren to give a certain Easter Bunny a surprise visit. The Pooka hadn't been visiting them because Easter was coming again, and this year he was getting most of his believers back. Although Bunny didn't show it, he was working himself too hard trying to make this year the best Easter in years.

Surprisingly, it had been Jack's good natured idea to go and see how Bunny was doing, Sandy had taken a break from scattering his dream dust, thinking that people deserved a dreamless sleep now and then. While Tooth and a few of her fairies had given their night shifts to the fairies left behind in the palace. It was the only way they could take a break.

So here they were, sitting under one of Bunny's colorful trees, watching a certain Winter Sprite tease a stress Bunnymund who was painting his eggs. The guardian of Fun was enjoying himself ashe created a mini snow cloud on top of Bunny while the Pooka tried to ignore him.

"Are you alright, Tooth?" North asked a she gazed into slightly dazed amethyst orbs. He could see that the Toothfairy was thinking of something, maybe a little too deeply since she had not, even once today, commented on how white Jack's teeth were. "First Jack's teeth, now eye? You wanna be an eye fairy now?" Santa asked in a confused tone.

Sandy covered his mouth in a silent chuckle. The humming bird queen gave the jolly man a slightly scandalized look at the thought of being something else than the _tooth _fairy.

"Of course not!" She fluttered nervously about but excitement could be heard in her voice, as her eyes shined."I still love seeing those cute little molars in the palm of my hand with their little blood and gums-"

"Eh!" North waved his hands , effectively interrupting the fairy. "No need to go into details!" He patted his stomach as he said in a gruff tone. "Just had milk and cookies, no need to hear about little kids' blood, no?"

Sandy who had covered his ears when Tooth started talking, sighed in relief as he wiped away and imaginary sweat.

"Now, we go back to first topic!" North said in a deep voice as he turned his attention back to the duo not faraway. He chuckled when he saw that Jack had given up on the small snow cloud and had started to amuse himself by trying to grab Bunny's twitching ears. "He is blue eyes, yes? Like me! We white-haired men always have 'popping' blue eyes."

"Yes." Tooth sighed as she continued to watch Bunny and Jack. "But it's more than just the color North." And as though to strengthen this statement, the sparkling violet eyes darkened and dimmed as they narrowed in concentration.

The guardian of Wonder, not understanding just exchanged looks with Sandy who formed a question mark on his head, not understanding as well.

"His eyes changes color when he's in different moods." Tooth sighed, oblivious to the conversation going on beside her.

"Change color? You mean his eyes can turn red?" North said, surprised. He had never known Jack had such ability!

Tooth shook her head rapidly as she flew around North. "No, no! Of course not! I mean it can, you know… His eyes turn into- into different shades of blue!"

"Oh…" North said, slightly disappointed that their youngest guardian _couldn't_ change his eye color willingly. There goes his chance to brag about their new recruit to the groundhog. Sandy clapped his hands together in understanding.

"Periwinkle, cobalt, sapphire…" Tooth said dreamily as she finally settled down beside North. "Every shade of blue represents his mood, I noticed."

"Oh?" North said as he squinted at the fair-haired boy not far. "So what is their color now, eh?"

"Celeste!" Tooth said, chirping happily. "A happy color, but a sad one too."

"Sad? Why is Jack boy sad?" North asked in confusion. The spirit of Winter seemed to be having fun in his eyes. What would make him sad? Maybe Tooth was just over reading things.

Sandy watched Jack silently, his head tilted.

"I don't know. He gets that look sometimes. His eyes become light blue when he's sad but lighter when he's happy. Right now he's more happy than sad, but still." Tooth stated. "I get the feeling that Jack might be thinking about the time before he met us."

Sandy nodded quietly as his sand shifted to form a sad boy sitting on a branch of a tree, all alone.

"And you think he feels sad now he is with us, no?" North said, still confused.

"No, I think he's thinking about how much he's missed interactions like this. Interactions with people who can actually see him. People who actually care for him."

There was silence.

A distant shout however broke it and the three's attention were once again turned to the duo not far. Bunny was angrily shouting at Jack who had frozen in the air as he watched Bunny's paws clench as he spoke.

Tooth covered her mouth when Celeste became the color of electric indigo and she immediately rushed to Jack's side with North lumbering behind her and Sandy readying a ball of sand in his hands.

"-And you're a bloody dill tha' shoulda gone beyond the black stump and never _ever _came back-!" Aster was shouting, his expression morphed into irritation as Jack watched him explode with an unreadable from all the pressure Easter had caused him. "A bodgy bludger who-"

"Hey, hey! Bunny!" North said as he placed a hand on the Kangaroo's shoulder. The guardian of Hope bit his lips as he felt North hold him back. "Easy, _mal'chik _was just having little fun, yes?" He said as he led the distressed guardian away. Sandy's golden eyes followed them.

"Oh Jack, are you alright dear?" Tooth asked when she turned to the winter spirit who was still slightly stunned, her mini fairies were behind her, chirping in concern. The young Frost recovered himself with a smile, his eyes lightening to dodger blue.

"I'm fine, Tooth. It's not everyday I get to see the Kangaroo explode over some of my jokes." Jack laughed but the tooth fairy noticed that he had placed himself down on the ground unsteadily. He was most probably shaken from the outburst. But he forced himself to look like what happened had not hurt him one bit.

Tooth knew that Jack probably didn't understand any of the words Bunny had said, but she knew Jack was smart enough to know that the cranky guardian had just told him to go as faraway as possible. The dark hue in his once bright blue eyes was proof of that.

Sandy on the other hand was looking at Bunny carefully, his ball of sand hidden behind him just in cases. He was only a few feet from North and the guardian of Hope who looked like he wanted to say something to the guardian of Wonder.

"Hey Jack, I'm sure Bunny didn't mean any of what he said." Tooth said as she placed a hand on his shoulder which he shrugged off casually. The tooth fairy bit back the hurt.

"How do you know?" He asked in a hurt tone which he quickly covered up with a nonchalant shrug, "Not that I care or anything."

"Because I've known Bunny the longest, and it's just the stress of things that's causing this, I'm sure." She assured. Tooth looked to the side and saw North giving Bunny a good talking to while the grumpy Easter spirit just took it with his ears down.

Jack gave off a hesitant chuckle. "Yeah, I know." He said and his blue eyes lightened to a sadder tone almost looking gray. Periwinkle. "I should go and apologize to him, huh?" He added in a quieter tone. The queen of Fairies blinked in surprise. Jack was actually the one who suggested to apologize to Bunny first!

"Y-Yes…" Tooth said regaining herself as she smiled. "That would be good. It'll help ease Bunny's stress."

Jack shifted his feet in discomfort as he continued in a quiet tone. "I-I didn't mean to go far…" He said in a low tone. "Well okay, maybe I was planning to take it a _bit_ farther…" Tooth gave him a disapproving look which made him raise his hands in defense. "N-No, I-I didn't mean it like that. I don't hate Bunny! I just… I just thought it would be good if he- he got angry for awhile." Jack said as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

Tooth's amethyst eyes widened. "You made Bunny angry on purpose?"

"Yeah."

"You wanted him to get angry at you and shout at you?"

"Y-Yeah…"

"And by doing so, you wanted to ease his tension?"

"…"

"Jack?"

A small sigh but a sound of confirmation came from the blue lips. "…yes."

"Oh Jack!" Tooth said as she tackled the young teen. Thankfully, the teen didn't tumble to the ground but he did take a few steps back in surprise.

"W-Whoah!"

"You're the kindest, most caring winter Spirit I have ever known!" Tooth said as she cried happily, hugging the cold teen closer.

"Easy there, Tooth." Jack said laughing, but he stopped when he saw North and Bunny making their way towards him. The tooth fairy let go as she joined her friends to watch Bunny step up to Jack and scrutinize him. The Easter bunny looked at Toothiana who was sniffling.

"Made Tooth cry did ya'?"

Jack winced at the tone as he leaned back against his staff. "Look Bunny I-"

"Hey." Bunny raised a hand to keep Jack quiet. "Look ya' gumby, I just came here to apologize. I'm sorry about all the stuff I said. I didn't mean any of 'em. Okay?"

Jack stared at Bunny for a while, contemplating. Aster frowned and he opened his mouth about to say something but Jack had broken into a grin and said. "I didn't even understand what you said, so I don't see what you're apologizing for. Let's just say we're even and call it a truce, deal?"

Bunny blinked in surprise but then sighed as he nodded his head. "Deal."

Jack gave a sharp nod as he levitated a little and gestured to the still unfinished eggs Bunnymund had been painting. "So, should we get back to work Kangaroo?"

Green eyes lightened at the prospect that Jack was finally gonna help him instead of being a nuisance but the Easter bunny huffed at the nickname throw his way. "As long as ya' don't get in my way."

Jack laughed, making a mischievous smile as he didn't answer the rabbit.

Tooth watched the two fondly while Nick laughed in a jolly manner. Sandy smiled serenely as he finally let the ball of sand go, deciding that they weren't going to need it after all.

"Ah yes, this is much better! A happy Jack and Bunny! All is right with the world! So comrades, shall we get back to helping?" North said as he gestured forward.

Sandy nodded enthusiastically and Tooth smiled as she saw Jack's eyes turn to Alice blue. "Let's."

She decided then and there, that if anyone asked her what her favorite shade of blue was, she'd remember this day and happily state that it will always forever be, 'Alice Blue'.

The color of Jack's eyes when he was happy.

Humming to herself, Tooth followed Nick and Sandy as they went to get more unpainted eggs.

Meanwhile…

"Hey Frost." Bunny said to Jack who had already started painting.

"What?"

"What did North mean when he said you had 'popping' blue eyes like him?"

"Uh... what?"

* * *

**Notes: **Okay, this was gonna be longer but it's almost time for me to go to school so I had to make it quick.

To **Night Fury-1 **, yes there will be a second part to the first chapter titled, 'Eyeglasses' which will come out in a few chapters. I can add a bit of brother Jack/Bunny there if you wish.

Thank you for all of your reviews! To those who did not understand what Bunny meant when he was angry, here's the translation:

_"You're a bloody idiot, who should go a long way away and never come back, a lazy person with inferior quality who-"_

Okay, harsh Bunny. Please forgive me, for making Bunny say those things, he was stressed ya' know?

So the next one is called, **'Weird Habits'**, one of my favorites and I hope everyone stays tuned!

I'll also edit the mistakes on Chapter 1 in the future, meaning when I get home or get my hands on the laptop.


	3. Weird Habits

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **Everyone had weird habits, and Jack was no different. It had seemed harmless enough, he _is _the Winter Spirit after all, but four pairs of concerned eyes staring at him begged to differ.

**Weird Habits**

It had seemed harmless enough from the start. And when Jack had started doing it at a habitual rate, it almost seemed normal.

But Jack should've known better than to assume what was normal and what wasn't. Especially since he had been out of contact with people who could see him, and three-hundred years alone didn't really give you the proper mental state to assume that the things you were doing are considered to be 'normal'. Add to that fact that Jack's favorite hobby was to freeze the world over and that he was an immortal spirit at the age of seventeen or eighteen physically- nope, Jack was anything _but_ normal. That was already a given.

Still, Jack couldn't help but be amused. A feeling people or spirits usually _don't _get when they were being glowered upon (technically _glowered _applied only in Bunny's case) by the Big Four, the guardians of all that was wishful thinking and happy endings. But Jack still couldn't help but be amused.

For three hundred years- give or take several decades- he had wanted this sort of attention. Unwavering, strict, and worried all combined. He had _craved_, had _hoped_, had _wished _that's _someone, anyone_ would take a look at him, would stop and say, "Hey, I care about you. You're not alone."

And apparently, Man in the Moon decided to humor him _now_ of all times. Three hundred years after ignoring him, he decided to make Jack's wish come true _now_, when he least needed it.

Gee, thanks you big, lumpy rock in the sky.

"_Mal'chik_, Jack, you have yet to answer question." It surprises the Guardian of Fun that it was North who spoke rather than Bunny, but nonetheless the mischievous Spirit was grateful that the swordsman broke the awkward silence.

He didn't know if he could take anymore of the concerned staring and _glowering_ (still only happening in the Kangaroo's part).

"Uhm, well? What do you want me to say? I already _told_ you what I was doing." Jack laughed airily but the tension in the air thickened rather impossibly and he shrunk back a bit at that.

"How about ya' try it from the start this time, _mate_." Bunny hissed and Jack swallowed before he pursed his lips in defiance.

"Hey, come on! Everyone has a weird habit or two! You can't judge me!" Geez, he sounded like a teenager who was caught partying late and was trying to defend himself from being grounded. So much for being _mature_.

"But Jack…" Great, big, worried amethyst eyes stared at blue ones and Jack's stomach fluttered when he saw the worry in them. Tooth knew, only Tooth knew of how really _weird_ Jack's habit was especially when you considered the human memory he only found out about a few months ago. "Y-You shouldn't… I-I don't think it's good for your health if you…" And the queen of teeth trailed off because really, she didn't _know_ what was good or bad for teenage boys these days aside from too much junk food and candies. Maybe this was a trend? Something normal?

But Jack was distracted form answering her when someone tugged at his sleeves. He looked down and saw Sandy making pictures of sand for him to ask him a question.

A clock made of sand ticking, followed by a question mark. Sandy tilted his head in curiosity.

"Are you asking me how long I've been doing it?" Jack translated and the Sandman nodded. Jack could feel the other's stares practically boring holes into the back of his head. "Well a few months after Pitch's defeat I guess?"

There was a wince from Tooth, while surprised mixed cursings from North and Bunny alerted Jack.

What?

They were definitely overreacting! It wasn't that big of a deal! Definitely not _that_ big of a deal!

"What?" Jack said defensively as he glared at the people before him, mostly at North and Bunny. He could understand why Tooth was like that and Sandy wasn't being much of a problem, just giving him a worried look and all, but North and the Easter Kangaroo were definitely taking _worry_ too far. "It's _normal_! I've been doing it for a few months and as you can see, I'm perfectly fine!"

"I don't think, 'normal's the word yer looking for, mate." Bunnymund said with a frown.

"Okay may be it is a _bit_ strange-"

"How many winter spirits do what you do?" North asked pointedly and Jack deflated.

"I-I don't know-"

"Exactly! You usually find them in snow banks or on a comfortable pile of snow-!" Tooth insisted and Jack was sadly mistaken when he thought the fairy would lay off him on this one.

And it looks like Sandy wasn't staying quiet on this one either.

"What? Are you telling me _not_ go to sleep now?" Jack asked in slight panic. The guardian of Dreams looked scandalized that the guardian of Fun even suggested this. He waved his hands in frustration as a big 'X' mark showed up on his head.

"No! We're not sayin' _that_!" The Pooka said in frustration as he ran a hand through his long ears. "Can't you just go back to yer old sleepin' habits or somethin'?"

Jack frowned. "Sleeping on old branches isn't comfortable, no matter how cool it is."

"But ya've been doin' it for 300 years!"

"Slept in a snow bank sometimes, though…"

"Then _do_ that!" Bunny countered and Jack was about to protest when-

"Dah! This is getting nowhere!" North's voice interrupted, and the guardian of Hope turned to the guardian of Wonder to butt heads with him on the topic. Jack sighed at the scene and he leaned against his staff. Beside him, he could hear Tooth and Sandy having their own, albeit one-sided, conversation.

"Yes, yes but still-!" Tooth's feather's ruffled as she tried to express the urgency of the matter through words.

Jack rubbed his temples in frustration, an action he never thought he'd do even in his three hundred years of existing.

It had seemed harmless enough from the start. But really, Jack still should've known better.

He had a habit of loosing track of time when he slept, and losing track of time when you have _four_ new people that worried and looked after you was not a good idea.

The thought of them caring so much that they even sent out the auroras just to call out each other was strangely _heartwarming_.

But still, they were overreacting.

Because really, finding out that he _slept underneath Burgess' frozen lake_, wasn't weird right?

Sleeping frozen in icy waters, underneath two feet thickness of ice wasn't weird for a winter spirit right?

And not to mention that said place was the place where he drowned and died!

It wasn't weird at all, right?

Right?

Uhm, right?

…

Wrong.

* * *

**Notes: **Another one for Ice Cubes! Cheers! Of course, this has a part two, do not worry. The part two of this is entitled '**Sleeping Beneath Ice' **or something along those lines, but before we get to that, I wanted to update another drabble called, '**Rain' **after this chapter.

_Mal'chik _is a term for 'boy' or 'lad'. It is a Russian endearment.

If anyone noticed. I've started typing Bunny's 'your' as 'yer'- makes much more sense and slowly and hopefully I'm getting better at expressing his accent via typing. All that's left is North's. I think this arc might extend to four or three, depends, I have so much planned for this. Like the before and after part: how did they find Jack? Their reactions, what was Jack thinking and everything?

Also, I wish I can update drabbles like this everyday but sadly the end of school term signifies busier days. I've found out how to update quicker and sadly, it involves cutting back on my sleeping time. Anyway, hopefully everyone likes this chapter!

Until next time!


	4. Valentine's Day

**_Ice Cubes_**

**Summary: **Because Valentine's isn't just a day for couples. It's a day for families too.

**Valentine's Day**

Jack swung his staff as he froze dew drops hanging off the leaves of plants and trees. The sun was rising and the winter spirit stopped to admire the great big ball of fire and in the process, maybe even feel the warmth of the sun rays touching his forever pale skin.

"Oh it's so pretty!" A woman's voice made the young guardian turn abruptly. Blue eyes widened when he spotted a couple below him. They were bundled up because of the cold morning air and holding hands as they gazed up at the spectacle of the rising sun.

"The icicles make the sunrise even better." The man chuckled as he looked at the woman. "I guess we have to thank Jack Frost for that." He said jokingly as he leaned towards his companion. The girl smiled at the other's statement.

Jack looked away pointedly as the two's lips met, a small but sad smile on his face.

Visitors like these were usually uncommon if it was any other time of the year. But then again, today was _Valentine's_, so Jack had better be prepared for another corny set of couples when he goes to do his rounds around the world.

Waving his staff once more, the young spirit decided to bless this couple's love with a small snowfall that emphasized every unique snowflake he had ever designed. He softly murmured to the wind to take him away just as he heard the couple's exclamations of happiness and surprise at Jack's gift.

"Valentine's, huh?" Jack thought out loud as he gazed blankly at the expanse of sky before him.

If he had been like anything he was a few years ago, he would've done everything he could to mess up the season of love. He was bitter and frustrated, and so very_ very_ lonely, that he somewhat felt comforted at the indignant yells and protests of every couple he messed with.

But now…

Now, he just felt sad.

An echoing sadness, emptiness, and loneliness in his very being, his very _core_.

The white-haired spirit sighed as the wind finally let him down on top of a sturdy branch. The youngest guardian shifted, trying to make himself more comfortable.

He was going to be hiding out for awhile and he had to keep a constant move if he didn't want any of the guardians finding him.

But then you might wonder, why was he avoiding them? And on the day of _love_ for that matter?

Well- Jack pursed his lips in frustration- it was his fault for having high hopes in the first place.

* * *

Jack had spent the night at North's for once, a rare occurrence that made the old man jolly. His reaction to Jack's slightly shy request on spending the night was so heartwarming that Jack began to hope a little…

To _hope_ that he would spend Valentine's day with _someone_ for a change. To smile and joke, and comment on how corny couples get during that particular day. To laugh out loud without hearing the harsh echoes of his own voice as he is surrounded by trees and people that don't see him.

To give gifts that symbolized appreciation…

… and _love._

Jack had prepared gifts of course.

He couldn't make chocolates since no one had ever taught him to do it. And _spring _flowers were out of the question since they'd freeze when he touched them, and Jack doubted that Bunny would be happy in seeing a frozen flower as a gift.

But _winter_ flowers were a different case.

Valentine's, after all, was the holiday of chocolates and flowers.

_Christmas cacti _for North, with beautiful colorful Christmas flowers he thought suited the jolly man that was the very being of the holiday. Jack had been frosting over one of the coldest desserts (at night) when he found the plant growing under the shade of a rock.

_African Violets _for Tooth, Jack had thought of her eyes when he saw these eye-catching violets in the African forests during their coldest months.

_Winter Aconites_ for Bunny, they looked like spring flowers to Jack when he first saw them in Europe. The bright yellow colors made the winter spirit smile as he thought of hope and life.

And finally, _Primula _or primerose flowers for the ever patient Sandman. Their gentle coloring reminded Jack of the oldest and most silent of the guardians. He had found these gentle flowers in good old Britain as he tried to make the_ haughty_ people relax a bit during winter.

These flowers were special. They didn't freeze or die in Jack's touch, but rather their colors sharpened and came out brighter when he held them, as though his touch was giving them life. He had carefully pruned them ever since he found these different species of winter blossoms.

He had wrapped them as bouquets with fancy wrapping and fragile paper he saw people use when making bouquets. And he used blue ribbons instead of red to tie them up because he felt like Valentine's needed more blue than red that year.

And in each bouquet for his friends, he placed a _galanthus _in the middle. A snowdrop flower he found growing in Ireland in one of his exploits. They were as white as freshly fallen snow and the way the flowers or bulbs faced the ground, reminded Jack of himself before he met the guardians.

One way or another, the little troublemaker had somehow managed to sneak his small gifts inside North's workshop without being seen.

And so, in the morning of Valentine's, Jack had happily glided towards the globe room with his presents and staff behind his back. He had heard from Phil that the three other guardians were there with North, and it never crossed Jack's mind as to why he wasn't invited into the guardians' private meeting.

He was too happy at the thought that he'd get to spend Valentine's with North and the others, to notice.

"Hey guys!" Jack laughed airily as the wind blew open the door, shocking the people inside the room. Jack was gliding about, a beatific smile on his face, full of glee as pure and simple happiness radiated from him.

"O-Oh, Jack!" Tooth was the first to state his name. There was shock and uncertainty in her voice but Jack didn't notice. He was too busy looking at the others with blue eyes alight at seeing them together. "W-What brings you here?"

"Hm, well I heard you guys were here for some reason and I came to see what you were up to!" Jack laughed as he neared the four guardians who stepped back at his sudden approach.

This time, Jack _did_ notice their reluctance and he landed softly on the floor to give them a curious look.

"Guys?" He asked in a careful voice and Sandy threw his arms up trying to make an excuse for their behaviors.

He flashed a sign of an arrow that pointed to the door. And Jack's eyebrows rose and his eyes dimmed as he got what the sandman meant. Jack's grip on the gifts behind him slackened.

"Y-You want me to leave?" He said in a soft tone and if the guardians weren't so frantic they would've noticed the hurt in his tone.

"Ah, we are not trying to get rid of you, my boy! Oh no!" North said with a hesitant laugh that made Jack flinch. "But yes, it is better if you leave… for now. W-We have so many things to discuss and all!"

Jack shifted in his stance, uncomfortable that he was on the ground, but with his mixed emotions he couldn't lift himself into the air and pretend nonchalance. "Erm, you're busy? Even though it's Valentine's?" Jack asked and the four guardians froze.

"Easter is a month from now." Bunny intervened in a gruff tone. "These guys are gonna help me get more believers."

Sandy nodded enthusiastically as he showed illustrations of Bunny shrinking into a cuter and smaller version and an 'X' sign made of sand. There was an annoyed grunt from the Pooka as he remembered last year's events.

Jack's happiness deflated in a few seconds as he hung his head in defeat. The others were exchanging looks of worry at Jack's sudden switch of moods. "And I can't help? At all? I mean, I'm a guardian too."

Tooth flew to Jack's side in worry, "Oh Jack, that's not-"

"We don't need yer help, mate." Bunnymund said as he crossed his arms. "Ya' can just go and do whatever it is you do every Valentine's day and leave us to our work."

And those words seemed to be the last straw as some sort of invisible string of patience was cut off.

Jack felt his heart plummet and his grip on the small but beautiful bouquets behind his back completely slackened and his gifts fell to the ground. The guardians jumped in surprise as beautiful and colorful petals spread across the floor at the impact. However, before they could come closer to look at what that was or ask Jack what he had been carrying, a strong wind suddenly blew in the globe room, slamming the windows open.

Jack clutched his staff closer to his chest as though it would help ease the pain and disappointment welling inside him. He curled onto himself as the wind picked him up and carried him out of the room, away from the guardians, far from Santoff Claussen and into the cold February air filled with promises of solitude and sadness.

* * *

He should've known, he _should've _known.

They didn't care and didn't see him as _family_. He had been driven into wishful thinking again and he had carelessly flung himself into the path of inevitable hurt.

He had celebrated Valentine's alone for the last three hundred and eighteen years and that fact would never _ever _change, and yet he _hoped_ it would when he met and befriended the guardians.

He had hoped, and _hoped_…

And then he had his heart crushed.

Stupid, _stupid…_

Stupid Valentine's, stupid Cupid, stupid couples, stupid family…

But most of all, stupid _Jack_ for thinking that anyone, especially the _guardians_, would want to spend Valentine's with him.

Jack ran a pale hand through his snow white hair, blue eyes dimming in sadness as he calculated the time by the length of the shadows of the trees surrounding him.

Eighteen more hours until Valentine's was over. Looks like he should go and annoy Cupid _again_ this year.

"I _just_ saw him, this way!" Ah, speaking of Cupid, that was his voice just now. Jumping up and stretching his numb body, Jack readied a mask of mischief onto his face.

He'll annoy the hell out of the guardian of love today before going to retreat to the South Pole to sleep off his depression for several months. He'll probably have to bury himself in snow just to avoid the other guardians.

However, when Jack caught sight of the angel of _love_, chick flicks, and other cheesy stuff out there, a triumphant look passed Cupid's face.

"Gotcha!" Cupid said and before Jack knew what was going on, the little cherub shouted, "Get him, boys!" to some white things behind him.

A familiar sack was dumped over the guardian of Fun, as he realized a moment too late what had happened.

North's yetis had successfully captured him by enlisting the help of another of Jack's greatest archenemies in history.

Oh _no_! He was going back to North's workshop!

And just as the winter sprite processed this growing dread, the yetis had already shoved him into the familiar portal that led to the globe room, where the guardians were waiting.

* * *

This was awkward.

Jack hadn't prepared himself to see the guardians. He had thought he at least had a few months of preparation before he faced the big four again.

But apparently he was wrong.

Someone up there really just loved it when Jack was wrong. (Probably Manny)

"Jack." North began in an awkward tone of voice that made the teen glare at the floor. Jack could _escape_, he could run and never look back, that was always an option… but for some reason he just couldn't do it. There was a feeling in his stomach that told him to stay put and shut up.

_That_ and the fact that he was tied up to a chair with a gag on his mouth complicated the whole escaping thing.

Hey, the yetis just wanted to be sure that the small sprite wouldn't escape again before he heard the guardians' side of the story, that's all. Looking for an overzealous sprite that could travel via winds was never an easy job for the poor creatures.

"Okay, wait a sec mate. Before you say anythin' else…" Bunny interrupted as he walked up to North. "Can ya tell yer yetis to let Frostbite go? I feel gnarly just lookin' at him!"

"I agree, North. We can't see his perfect white teeth if he's gagged!" Tooth said in a depressed and frantic tone.

Sandy nodded his approval.

"Yes, yes of course. I agree. As long as Jack promises not to leave while we are talking, yes?" North said with a raised eyebrow. Jack bit his lip but nodded. At that, the yetis slowly began to untie the winter spirit.

When he was free, Jack stood up straight, dusting at his clothes self-consciously. He felt one of the childhood guardians approach him and looked up to see Sandy handing him his staff. The winter spirit blinked before he smiled uncertainly at the other.

Jack was thankful as he placed his hands on the familiar tool. He didn't know what was about to happen next but having something familiar in his hands would help him keep himself grounded and in control.

"Jack…" Tooth said in a soothing voice and the white-haired teen turned to look at her as she hovered nearer to him. "The flowers from earlier, you know the ones you dropped…" She said in hesitation. "They were _beautiful_. Were you planning to give them to someone?"

Jack shifted in his place as he looked sideways, trying to avoid everyone's stare. "They were for you guys." The silence was deafening and before Jack knew it, he was spouting words to cover up the tension in the air. "I-I mean, it's Valentine's and everything and I thought, 'hey! Why not give some flowers to you guys since you've really been accommodating and-'" Jack swallowed thickly as he kept talking. "I mean, they're winter flowers, so when I hold them they don't freeze o-or die and Bunny wouldn't like frozen spring flowers so-"

But before Jack could finish his words, North suddenly stepped up and hugged him.

The young Frost froze as he felt the warmth emanating from the other. He felt the other guardians approach, Tooth's hand was on his shoulder, Sandy was giving him a thumbs up as Jack peeked over North's shoulder and he heard Bunny calm him a 'gumby'.

"_Spasibo_ Jack Frost." North said in his thick Russian accent. "Beautiful flowers from beautiful boy."

Jack choked, "Beautiful?"

"They were really pretty! And it was very thoughtful of you!" Tooth said and Jack could see from the way her feather's shined that she _really _was grateful and not just putting up a show. When North had let go of him, Tooth jumped in to hug him, holding him close to her and running her hands through his hair in comfort and thanks. "The African Violets were my favorite and I assume those were for me right?"

Jack nodded numbly into the hug. "They were the color of your eyes."

Tooth froze and relaxed. Bunny and Sandy saw the softening of her expression as she let Jack go. Toothiana decided that the discussion about the flowers could wait… Right now, the youngest among them needed to hear their apologies. "We're really sorry about what happened earlier, we didn't mean to make you misunderstand out intentions."

"Misunderstand?" Jack asked his blue eyes a little bit hopeful, but it looked like he was trying to crush that hope back. Bunny huffed in annoyance.

"We lied about the whole 'Easter' thing." Bunny said as he hopped closer. "We were actually plannin' a surprise present for ya' but before we could finish, ya' suddenly came into the room, and we had to act fast and make a story."

Sandy nodded as he showed sand illustrations of the guardians hiding something behind their backs like Jack was doing before.

"P-Present?" Jack said, blue eyes wide and unbelieving. "For me? O-On Valentine's?"

"Yes, of course!" North said in a loud voice. "Valentine's isn't only for couples! It is for family too! To show love and appreciation!"

Sandy nodded and Tooth added in a soft voice. "We love you Jack, and if it's okay with you, we'd like to spend this Valentine's day with you." The fairy nodded at Sandy who stepped up with a treasure chest made of golden sand.

Jack was speechless and shocked as Sandy opened the lid of the treasure box. A silver tray with intricate designs and patterns floated out of it and onto Jack's hands, on top of the tray were four chocolate figures.

Valentine's, after all, was the holiday of chocolates and flowers.

"One from each of us." Tooth said quietly as she looked at Jack's expression.

Jack could guess which chocolate figure was from whom.

On the uttermost left side of the tray was a chocolate egg with complicated swirling patterns, colored by food dye and expertly created by strong paws with hundreds of years of experience. Undoubtedly, this one was Bunny's gift to him.

Next to Bunny's was a snowflake chocolate, colored with dark brown and gold, this was often the symbol Sandy used when referring to him. The winter spirit only hoped that the gold coloring wasn't because Sandy's sand was mixed into the chocolate.

After Sandy's came a chocolate figure of a tooth, colored pristine white.

"It's a wisdom tooth!" Jack heard Tooth whisper beside him in excitement. Of course, this chocolate was obviously from her.

And last, but not the least was a chocolate _matryoshka_. It was simple and purely dark chocolate with no fancy coloring. But Jack knew that if he opened the doll, there'd be another chocolate doll inside of it, which was probably the tricky part in creating it.

So Jack stood there, with the tray in hand, his blue eyes unbelieving and wide but the guardians could see the genuine happiness in them at the thought that he received a gift.

The young teen reached out a hand to grab the egg-shaped chocolate, staring at it in awe before staring at Bunny as though to ask permission.

The rabbit smirked as he inclined his head. "Go ahead, ya' drongo." He said, but the insult behind the words was lost in the affectionate tone used as he said them.

Jack swallowed and nodded as he leaned in and took a bite from one of his chocolate presents. Everyone held in bated breaths as Jack chewed thoughtfully. Even Bunny, who had trained in making chocolates for hundreds of years, looked nervous.

There was silence as Jack turned to them, blue eyes staring at their faces in wonder.

And then, Jack _laughed_.

It was a loud laugh filled with relief and so much more emotion than just love, shocking the four guardians in the room effectively. He gave a wide grin at the guardians as he heard Tooth's indignant yelp at the chocolate stuck on the front of his teeth.

It was like a spell was broken when Tooth went after the winter sprite, and the tension in the room dissolved as North and Sandy laughed at the youngest's antics.

"Jack, come back here!"

Jack playfully flew out of Tooth's reach as he gleefully ate the chocolate in his hand while the fairies exclaimed indignantly about the dark chocolate marring his beautiful pearly whites. He heard Bunny shouting at him to get down and North's booming laugh. He saw Sandy's sand at the corner of his eyes, trying to help Tooth in catching him. Golden sand curving around his small and thin frame.

And as Tooth finally caught him, small hands surprisingly strong on his shoulders, the young winter sprite laughed again.

He laughed for all those Valentine's days he was bitter and alone.

He laughed at the times he had made Cupid and some couples angry by ruining their Valentine's celebrations.

He laughed for all those years that he thought _family_ was nothing more than a word.

He laughed at himself for being so _wrong._

And he laughed because he couldn't help but feel relieved that he _was_ wrong.

And as Jack was subjected to Tooth's constant prattle about teeth hygiene while Sandy hovered nearby and North talked about how Christmas chocolate was better than Easter… Jack hoped that none of the guardians noticed how he hiccupped in the end as he laughed, as though he was fighting off a sob. He hoped none of those concerned eyes saw the tears forming at the corner of his wide blue eyes while they bantered, and scolded, and _loved_.

And if any of the guardians _did_ notice any of these small things, they said nothing about it and just continued to smile at Jack like he meant something to them.

And maybe, _maybe _he _did_.

Because Jack was more than ready to believe that.

* * *

***gnarly** can mean excellent, but it can also mean _awkward_, and I was obviously referring to _awkward_.

**Title: **It's called 'Valentine's day' because I'm sick and couldn't be creative.

**Notes: **I know I said that the '**Rain**' chapter would be next but I couldn't but make a Valentine's day fic! I mean it's _VALENTINE'S day_. I find making a fic for this holiday amusing, And it turns out, this drabble was longer than what I expected. I was preparing for only four pages, but it doubled in length and that shocked me. I bet this was boring to read through.

I was fighting with myself whether to post this in _Ice Cubes_ or not. And since it is a family fic, I decided to post it here as one of the drabbles, although it's a bit long for my taste.

I'm a bit disappointed that the flower _galanthus_ wasn't more starring in this fic, so I'm gonna make a chapter just for it soon. Now my chapter ideas went up to 35! Hooray!

So, I was gonna update sooner but school happened and right now I'm _sick_. And even though I was sick, I still went to school and everything, without telling anyone I was sick, and yeah it backfired on me.

So here's your update guys, hopefully I can get better soon and update _Ice Prince _tomorrow :D

Btw, if I make another **rotg** fic, I'm gonna name it '_Icicles_''cause it sounds great.

So yes, that's all. Please read and review if you have time *bows*


	5. Rain

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **Jack Frost doesn't always make it snow. Sometimes he makes it rain.

_Set before the movie._

**Rain**

Jack was pretty sure that the spirit of rainfall would be angry at him by now.

Granted, he heard from admiring nymphs and spirits that the rain-guy was a cheerful and forgiving person who soothed anyone with his presence, the guy must still be pissed off at Jack for taking away his element.

But Jack couldn't help it.

Snow was technically frozen water. Rain was water too.

So it wasn't Jack's fault that it suddenly started _raining_ rather than _snowing_.

Looking up at the sky, Jack admired the dark clouds covering the normally endless blue. He was soaked to the bone by freezing water and he watched as the rain became heavier each second.

He was tired from spreading snow all over the globe. His powers were at their weakest and they weren't even strong enough to freeze the water a bit more and turn them into snow. This was why there was never any snow on tropical countries. Whenever Jack came by, he was too tired to even produce a small snowfall for them, add to the fact that these countries were sweltering hot, snow days were practically impossible here.

The young teen held up a hand as he felt the water flow down from his palms to his arms then to his already soaked hoodie. Despite being a snow elemental, he liked the rain as well. It was soothing and nice, the sounds of the rain made you want to fall asleep peacefully and never wake up. The rain reminded the snow spirit of unshed tears and untold secrets.

Plopping down under an oak tree and onto wet grass, Jack continued to gaze unseeingly through the rain. He could feel water trickle down from his hair down the sides of his face.

Jack was a prideful teenage spirit, someone who would never allow himself to cry despite the three hundred years of solitude from children and other spirits as well. He believed that crying would make him vulnerable, thus, he constantly ignored that jabbing pain in his heart and that burning sensation in his eyes that prompted tears.

He couldn't cry.

He _didn't _want to cry.

Which was why he let the sky do it for him.

That's why, instead of curling up in some dark and cold cave, he holds himself together and watches as the rain from his own weakened powers desperately try to wash away the feelings of solitude that would never _ever_ go away from him.

The rain came down harder.

And Jack catches one drop and tries to freeze it.

But even this small effort could not be done. Instead, the rain drop just slides from his skin and unto the soaked ground.

This would happen at least once a year to him. He would become as weak as a kitten, unable to let out the full potential of his power. Unable to make a good solid snowball to throw around and have fun with, unable to laden the land with a thick blanket of frost to build snowmen and lay down to make snow angels with…

And when his body was at its weakest state, so was his mind.

All the mental barriers were down and the masks broken, the walls crumbling… He couldn't afford to lose his emotions when he was capable of making a blizzard. That's why- that's why, when he was at his weakest state, when all he was capable of was making it drizzle, he'd let his guard down like this. He'd think of three hundred years of solitude and feel the deepness of his sorrow and confusion.

And then he'd make the sky cry for him.

He'd make the sky cry for all those years of being unseen, of being walked through.

He'd make the sky cry for the times when he found spirits that _could _see him but _didn't _care about him.

He'd make the sky cry for the fear and loss he carried around him ever since he woke up alone in the freezing winter.

He'd make the sky cry because he _couldn't_.

And then, and _then_ when he'd exhausted the sky's tears, he'd eventually curl up under the tree to watch the rain drizzle and eventually stop. He'd hug his knees to his chest and give off a shaky breath as he tried to build himself back up again.

Because the season for tears was coming to an end now. He had to go back to being mischievous Jack Frost, snowballs and fun times as he felt his natural power of snow and ice come back to him slowly but surely, signifying that yes, he had to leave the tropical countries now and bury himself in some snow bank somewhere in the South Pole as he waited for his powers to come back.

And while he was waiting, he had to pick up the pieces of the crumbling wall around his heart and build it back up again. Because if he didn't, then he'd have another blizzard of '68 in his hands and he doubted a certain rabbit would be happy about that.

So as Jack stood up shakily, he took one last look at the sky. He could see the dark clouds giving way to an endless blue with a touch of a rainbow at the side. And because of that, the winter sprite couldn't help but notice how brighter the sky seemed to be after the rain.

And deep inside of him he couldn't help but think…

That _maybe_ if he _cried_ for once, he'd feel better too.

That _maybe_ if he'd shed a few tears, his heart wouldn't be so heavy.

But no.

Instead of considering this, Jack simply slammed the butt of his staff onto the wet ground, allowing the wind to lift up his tired form.

He was Jack Frost, the personification of winter. He was snowballs and fun times, mischievous, and daring…

He was a lonely winter sprite with no friends, no family, and that would never change. He was alone and distant, and he had to personify the coldness he brought with him wherever he went.

That's why, _that's why, _he'd let the sky cry for him a little longer.

Because he couldn't, he _wouldn't…_

He shouldn't… cry.

And he never will.

…

Jack Frost is the personification of winter. He represents the harsh cold and he brings snow days to all the little kids who couldn't see him.

But Jack Frost doesn't _always_ make it snow…

Sometimes, when he felt like the world was crumbling around him _again_, he would make it rain. And he'd let the sky cry for him instead.

Because no one else would cry for _him_ when he couldn't cry for himself.

* * *

**Notes: **So, here is another update! **Rain **is finally up as I promised. I just wanted to do a chapter that explained why it never snowed in tropical countries. I don't like people thinking that Jack Frost never came to our country. He came sometimes in form of a hail storm which scares people and I didn't want that, so I depicted him as a light rain instead.

So the _RAIN SPIRIT_ was personified after Yamamoto Takeshi in KHR. When you ask people what they think 'rain' would be like if he was a person, they immediately come up with a depressing teenager. But when you ask me what 'rain' as a person would be, I'd think of Yamamoto, the guardian that washes away the tears.

So this was a short drabble (finally was able to make a _short _one). No dialogue, I know. But Jack was alone and when it rained he liked to keep quiet so he could hear the raindrops as they landed on the ground and softened the earth.

There was no sign of the _family _genre here, but I guess this one might create another arc about the guardians reacting to the sudden rain in Santoff Claussen one particular day when Jack was trying not to cry. It depends on my mood or if it rains here again.

So yes!Special thanks to **TheJoyousCrosser** for the compliment and the 'get well soon' comment. I'm doing my best to drag my sick self out of bed everyday, so thank you for the well wishes!

So about the next chapter, we'll see what chapter I feel like writing next. Maybe it'll be **'Eyeglasses' **or **'Sleeping Beneath the Ice' **or **'Hail Storm' **or **'Cemetery' **or **'Blue Moon' **or **'Mask of Fragile Ice'** or** 'Trauma' **or **'Hydrophobia' **or **'Falling'**,but then again, we'll see which one pops into my mind while I'm going about my daily life.

So thank you, please review if it won't be much of a bother!


	6. Sleeping Beneath Ice

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **The guardians had never been more scared in their immortal lives than when they found Jack sleeping in the last place they'd ever think of.

**Sleeping Beneath Ice**

_Set before 'Weird Habits'_

The four weeks before their next meeting was too long in North's opinion. The days couldn't come fast enough for the old Santa, as he breezed past the weeks creating more of his famous ice sculptures to show a certain winter spirit. His old fingers were as nimble as ever but this time they were accompanied by a certain anxiousness as he looked at the clock again and again.

Something wasn't right. And he could feel it deep in his belly.

It has been three weeks since he last saw the teen of Winter. A week after the meeting, the young sprite had shown up to mess with the yetis and to have a small chat with the jolly old man before leaving to spread some winter cheer. And a week after that, he came to help Santa prepare for his holiday, and the old man was barely able to express his gratitude via gift before Jack was off again.

And then the last time he saw Jack was a week ago.

True, if Santa recently saw the winter sprite then why was he so anxious?

The old man himself didn't know. It's just that he felt something worrying deep in his psyche, in his core, in his _tummy_… He knew something wasn't right and the fact that he couldn't act on his instinct made him more anxious for the monthly meetings so that he had a reason to go search for Jack if the other would be late.

He knew that the youngest guardian was a free spirit, and he didn't like being smothered by worry and affection too much, having gone three hundred years without any, and it was this reason itself that was stopping Santa from jumping into the sleigh to pursue him all over the globe.

Oh how he wish he could grab Jack by the scruff of his neck and drag him _home_, to Santoff Claussen and tell him to say in his room like a kid on the nice list.

But Jack wasn't his son. And he wasn't Jack's father.

No matter how much he wanted to be.

"Well someone seems to be in a gloomy mood after Christmas. Did I come at a wrong time, mate?" A voice suddenly alerted the guardian of Wonder to another presence. Putting on a happy face, North turned to give the guardian of Hope (and _impatience_) a wide smile. "Bunny! It is nice seeing you, da?" North said as he walked towards Bunny to give him a big hug.

"Oh hell no." Bunny said as he hopped away from North's enthusiastic greeting. The Russian laughed loudly at Bunny's refusal of a hug. However he was cut off in the middle of his laugh when a very busy tooth fairy came in through the window, talking to one of her fairies.

"Oh, Julienne from Connecticut lost her first tooth! How adorable! I like her, she flosses regularly! Was it her incisors? Front teeth?" Tooth asked but then she caught sight of her two fellow guardians and blinked before smiling. "Bunnymund! North! It's been too long!" She greeted.

"Oh Tooth! Still as busy as ever I see!" North stated but then suddenly he was alerted by a trail of golden sand and he turned and caught sight of Sandy napping by the corner. "Sandy! Sandy? Sandy? Wake up Sandy!"

An elf nudged the sleeping sandman on the ribs. The little golden man blinked as he looked at his companions before smiling and giving them a wave.

"Hey Sandy!" Tooth said as she waved as well.

"G'day mate." Bunny nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"Yes, yes nice to see you Sandy." North nodded distractedly and he looked at the window, where the moon shone brightly in Santoff Claussen. "And now that leaves Jack." He murmured quietly.

"Bloody show pony is as late as always I see." The Easter Bunny stated as he crossed his arms. He hopped towards the chair near the fire place. "We better get ourselves comfortable mates, ain't expectin' him to show up for at least another few hours, tha' gumby." He huffed.

"Oh I wonder how Jack is? I bet his teeth are even whiter than before! I wonder what he does to keep them so _perfect_." Tooth sighed with her fairies.

Sandy made several sand figures of Jack eating snow with a question mark and Tooth giggled at that.

North, meanwhile, did not say anything. He had been waiting for Jack to show up for a week… What was a few more hours right? He looked at a certain object in the corner of his eyes. The _thank you_ gift he never got to give Jack after Christmas.

"Oi, North, go and sit down ya' drongo." Bunny said as he leaned back in relaxation. "If Frostbite's gonna keep us waitin' might as well be comfortable."

Nodding distractedly, North went and sat down on one of the armchairs in the room. His blue eyes turned to the clock, watching as it ticked slowly. In the background, he could hear Tooth in a one-sided conversation with Sandy and her fairies.

A few hours.

Just a few more hours before he could go and look for Jack.

* * *

Bunny would never admit it. Even if you held the Warren up for hostage or destroyed most of his precious _googies_, he would never admit it.

He would never admit the _horrifying _fact that even he, the brave Pooka warrior, was worried about Jack, their annoying little upstart.

Definitely would never admit it.

Just like how he'd never admit that he'd had a new found respect for the boy ever since he had defeated the nightmare king. Or that he'd been hopping around the Warren for two weeks, waiting for the little frost spirit to show up and cause him trouble like every other day.

Jack had promised him a good prank, and as much as Bunny was on edge about that declaration (telling the sentinels to tighten up security, warning his googies to stay hidden and well away), he had also been looking forward to thwarting one of the youngster's pranks. He had even left a small opening in the Warren, because what fun would it be if Jack never got in to exhibit said prank?

Not that he'd ever admit that.

But after a week of the declaration and Jack still hadn't shown up, the guardian of Hope began to worry. He told the sentinels to loosen up on their guarding (maybe the security was too tight for Jack to get in?) and he had coaxed his eggs out of hiding just to tempt the winter spirit.

But still nothing.

Nadda, zilch. Not a sign of winter or frost anywhere.

_Nothing_.

And if Bunny didn't know better, he'd think that making him worry was Jack's big prank. And if it was, then it was a tasteless prank in his opinion. It wasn't even working!

Because Bunny wasn't worried! Nope! Never worried! Not a tinge of worry!

Okay, maybe he was worried... But just a _tiny bit_!

Which was why he had arrived early for their monthly meeting. And if North had been in the right sense of mind, he'd have noticed this and asked teasingly why Bunny was so eager for them to start their meeting. But Bunny could see that even North wasn't in the mood for that. He saw the Cossack's worry a mile away and that just heightened his own sixth sense. The old man kept patting his belly unconsciously.

But the guardians didn't need _two_ worrywarts. That's why the old Bunny was determined to be the levelheaded guardian in this matter.

They'd give Jack a few-say three to four- hours, to drag his sorry ass into the workshop before he was berated by North's relief, Tooth's fingers in his mouth, Sandy's enthusiastic greeting, and definitely _not_ Bunny's worry.

Yeah, a few hours of _relaxation_ before they go gallivanting around the globe for that ungrateful twerp. Bunny leaned back as he allowed the heat of the fire to warm his fur.

Half an hour into Bunny's plan, he found himself hopping up from his position and ordering North to bring out his damn sleigh.

Damn it! He wasn't worried! Not at all!

* * *

Tooth was a smart woman- _er _bird woman. And she could sense the tense atmosphere in the room the moment she had entered. Despite Bunny and North's valiant efforts to hide their synchronized feelings of worry, she could still feel it reverberating around the room like a bee no one wanted near them. It made her feathers ruffle in her own worry as well.

She hadn't noticed Jack's worrying absence like the others. After all, among the four of them, Jack visited her least since he knew that he'd be a distraction if he ever came to Tooth's palace. I mean, the fact that all the fairies swarmed at him within a fifty mile radius view was indication enough for him to avoid the palace if he wanted Tooth to go on undisturbed with her work. And as sweet as that was, Tooth couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated.

She didn't mind if half of her girls fainted at the sight of him or if her teams become unable to go through their jobs because they saw him smile! She wanted to spend time with Jack like the rest of her fellow guardians!

But sadly, she had only seen Jack once during those four weeks. And that was only to give Tooth a passing wave and to say hello to Baby Tooth. After that, she hadn't seen the winter spirit even once. And the worry Bunny and North were exhibiting getting to her so much that she had unconsciously began a very confusing conversation with her fairies and Sandy.

"Oh I don't know Sandy I think-" Tooth said, her amethyst eyes distracted before she changed her sentence halfway. "Two incisors, one wisdom tooth, Cloie's definitely growing up! Such a good kid-!" Then her voice became sad and silent as she turned to her fairies in confusion to who she was talking to. "Sandy, can you feel that? Even Bunny's worried! I knew it! Something must've- Another one! Trisha's tooth fell from a skating accident-!"

Tooth's confusing statements made her fairies buzz around her in confusion while Sandy exchanged looks with Baby Tooth and the two of them shrugged.

"Tha's it!" Bunny suddenly said in a loud voice, causing everyone to jump. His green eyes were tinged with suppressed worry as he jumped towards the door. "North get your damn sleigh ready! I can't stand this anymore! Everyone to the sleigh!"

Tooth exchanged surprised looks with Sandy as North let out a booming laughter at the Pooka's declaration. Her feathers ruffling in worry, Tooth followed the two to the stables with Sandy right behind her. She saw North grab something on the way out.

Tooth shook her head as her amethyst eyes narrowed in concentration.

Something was definitely wrong with their Sweet Tooth if Bunny suggested the sleigh _himself_!

* * *

Sandman prided himself for being the oldest among the four legendary guardians. He was calm and mature, and sassy to boot. The perfect role model for their slowly forming family.

Like Tooth, he had also sensed the tension between Bunny and North. Not speaking had given him the unnatural talent of picking up someone's mood a mile away. He knew, that like him, the other two guardians hadn't seen Jack as often as they'd like for the past week.

It was more worrying in Sandy's case though.

Jack had always made time for him in his very busy day of spreading snow and cheer. At least once every three days, the youngest guardian would sit with Sandy on his cloud of sand and watch him spread dreams to children of the world. But a week ago, Jack had just stopped coming.

And Sandy couldn't even reach his dreams.

Of course, that itself could only mean two things: One, Jack hasn't been sleeping for a week- something Sandy was worried about because even immortals (especially immortal teens) needed sleep; Second, Jack was in a place where Sandy's sand couldn't reach him- and this was more worrying that the first, because, what if Jack had been kidnapped without their knowledge?

And this was why he found himself in the sleigh, heading towards Burgess' infamous frozen lake with his fellow and equally worried guardians.

It was known to them that Jack was particularly fond of this lake and it was only common sense to head there first when they were searching for the winter spirit. Beside him, Tooth was once again a babbling mess, trying her best to send out commands and not mix them with her worried rantings about Jack.

Bunny was no better. He was thumping his foot on North's sleigh out of habit and trying not to shiver at the fact that _yes_, he was three hundred feet from the ground, and that _no_ the ground was not soft if you happen to fall out of the sleigh.

North, meanwhile, could cut a diamond with the concentration of his gaze as he looked ahead with one goal in mind. Sandy had noticed that the old Santa had grabbed a certain gift wrapped object when Bunny had told them to head to the sleigh.

Sandy was distracted from his thoughts when the sleigh suddenly touched down on the snow-filled ground. Bunny let out a scared yelp as Tooth jumped at the rough landing.

"We are here!" North said in a booming voice. He jumped out of the sleigh with his swords in hand as he walked down the forest path. "Let us go comrades! Our search for Jack is just beginning!"

Shaking his head at the earlier traumatic landing, Bunny began to dart across the snow. "I'll go search ahead of ya, mate!"

"I'll fly up and see if Sweet Tooth is in any of the trees." Tooth said as her wings fluttered nervously behind her. She shot up with her mini fairies behind her, as she called out to Jack. Sandy, meanwhile, satisfied himself by looking behind large snow covered boulders. His sand spread in three directions, one with North, one with Tooth, and one with Bunny, just in case they found the frost guardian.

It had only been ten minutes into their search when they heard a worrying call from the guardian of Hope.

"NORTH!" Sandy shot up and immediately headed towards the sound of Bunny's panicked voice. He made sure his sand alerted the two other guardians as he headed towards the distraught pooka.

When Sandy flew past the trees and into a clearing that showcased Jack's favorite frozen lake, the guardian of Dreams was confused for a few seconds.

Bunnymund was in the middle of the frozen lake, no unconscious or bleeding Jack Frost in sight and Sandy allowed himself to relax for a moment. His mind had thought up of horrible scenarios because of the sound of Bunny's voice. Maybe the Spring guardian had just seen a clue that would lead to their snowflake?

"NORTH! NORTH! COME 'ERE YA' GUMBY!" Bunny's loud voice shook in frustration and fear, and Sandy felt himself shake at the tone. He stared wide-eyed as Bunny began to hit the thick ice of the lake with his paws.

Worried and confused, Sandy rushed to the bunny's side and caught his fists with whips of dream sand. Bunny looked at Sandy in surprise before he tried to break free.

"Let go of me Sandy! Frostbite is-! He's-!" Bunny said in a panicked voice and Sandy shook his head, making hurried signs that the lake was at least two feet solid and that Bunny was hurting himself.

"Ya' don't understand, mate-!" Buuny began but then large footsteps and the humming of Tooth's wings distracted the two of them.

"Bunny! Sandy! What is it? Why you call us?" North said as he carefully slid through the frozen surface of the lake. Sandy let go of the pooka at their approach.

"Is it Jack? Have you found Jack?" Tooth asked worriedly. Sandy began to shake his head but then Bunny cut him off.

"North, call yer Yetis quick! We have ta-!" Bunny said hurriedly as he shivered at the cold and North placed a hand on the other's shoulder.

"Calm down my friend, tell us calmly why you need yetis here." North urged the Easter bunny. Bunnymund glared at the spirit of Wonder as he looked back at the spot of the ice that he tried to crack with his fists. "Look." He placed a paw on the surface and wiped away the frost that was blocking the view of the icy depths that lay beneath the ice.

Three pairs of eyes widened simultaneously. North let out an exclamation of Russian curses, Tooth let out a choked exclamation, and Bunny's paws clenched in frustration. Sandy felt his blood run cold at the sight.

There, beneath two feet of thick ice was a boy with a familiar pale face and snow white hair.

They had _finally_ found Jack Frost.

And the guardians had never been more horribly ecstatic when they found _him_ and scared when they found out _where_ he was.

Sleeping beneath the ice.

_JACK!_

* * *

**Notes:** I told you, _Weird Habits_ had more Arcs. I really enjoyed making this chapter! It was fun! I'm sorry it took awhile to update, had sleep overs with my cousin and then there's also the fact that my sister can't give up the laptop for my sake. But either way, I love her so I'll forgive her for that. Although in order to update, I had to get up at an unholy hour of the night. Thank goodness it was raining though, the sound of silence is freaky.

Well, so I hope everyone likes this and reviews their thoughts. I'm off to update my other fics and if I'm lucky I might update the next chapter od Ice Cubes soon! But will it be the arc? Who knows? I might update **Eyeglasses **or the next part off **Rain**, but I feel like updating a funny one-shot instead... But then again, it all depends on my mood.

Thank you for those who told me to get better soon :D I recovered eventually and I feel like giving you all virtual hugs! I'm happy that some of you liked 'Rain' and thought it was cool. Jack after all is pretty prideful and I doubt that he'd cry that easily.

Oh and just a thought, (I don't know if anyone reads this author's notes but I'll pray someone does) I read that Bunny hid _hope_ on earth and guards it as the last pooka. So I was wondering why no one ever made a story where Bunny lost _hope_ (a bright shiny thing that was meant to be buried deep in the earth to spread) and is trying desperately to find it, and the finds out that Jack _is _that hope he was looking for (Jack did make Jamie believe again and he made the guardian hope that it wasn't too late) and then blah, blah sacrifices have to be made because Jack or _hope_ had to be buried beneath the earth to give the light back to our planet and etc.

So that's just me randomly thinking! It's been in my mind for awhile now.

So yes, once again thanks for all the support! Reviews are still appreciated!


	7. Open Window

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary:** There was a reason why Jack always kept the windows open.

**Open Window**

Bunnymund had always thought, that the reason Jack always kept the window _open_ was because the winter spirit wanted to make sure that no room was too toasty in his presence, especially since North had always kept the fire roaring in the fire place for him and Tooth.

Being a winter spirit, it was normal for Jack to always make an already cold room _colder_. And Bunny, although begrudgingly, had decided to accept that weird quirk of the frost child in the face of eternal camaraderie.

But sometimes, a room can only get so _cold_.

He had not meant to do it. It was really a foolish reaction brought about by the energy spent after Easter and with North's fire place had been doused by foolish elves carrying a bucket of water- what they were doing with it, only _Manny_ knows-, add to the fact that Santa's workshop was like 0 degrees for a rabbit of Spring, and with Jack taunting him, teasing him, throwing snowballs at his face every couple of minutes…

Bunny could only take so much.

His nerves were frayed and he felt so tired and spent… All the joy and happiness at another good Easter was squashed back by irritation and frustration brought about by North's cold home, the elves, and especially _Jack Frost_.

And when Jack- silly, _silly_ Jack- went to unconsciously open North's ridiculously large windows, a flurry of snowflakes and a good strong wind blew at the pooka, making him sneeze and shiver and…

_Bloody hell! He wasn't taking this sitting down!_

And Bunny, with all the irritation of a _very_ tired Pooka, jumped towards Frost to close the _damn_ window because- _damn it! Wasn't it already too cold fer ya' ya gumby?_- And he threw the young winter sprite aside, - _although not too hard because no matter how irritated Bunny was, he was _never_ heartless_- staff clattering to the ground, as he struggled against the wind to wrestle the windows closed.

For a moment, the light brought in by the white landscape and the open window dimmed, and Bunny looked back at his companions in relief.

Tooth was looking at him incredulously while Sandy was tilting his head. North had a raised eyebrow at him and Bunny had the decency to look ashamed at lashing out. His green eyes turned to Jack who was on the floor, shivering slightly.

For one normal moment, the Bunny thought the sprite was laughing.

"Ah Bunny, I know how you hate cold, but Jack mean no harm!" North said as he patted his belly while walking towards the distraught Pooka.

Bunny sighed. "Yeah I know, mate but-!" However, before Bunny could continue what he was saying, he was suddenly startled by the loud sound that shook the windows. The Easter Kangaroo jumped a good two feet in shock as he turned to stare at the wind howling in agony outside. "Crikey! Frost! Your wind's too loud! Call it off why don't ya'?"

The winter spirit didn't answer as all four guardians turned to him. Bunny's ears flopped. "Frostbite?" The youngest guardian didn't respond and Bunny had this sinking feeling in his stomach, that the subtle shaking of Jack's shoulder did _not_ mean he was suppressing his laughs.

Taking one cautious step, Bunny reached out a hand, "Frost- Oof!"

A cold figure that barely weighed more than a spindly chair, collided with Bunny, making the Pooka huff out a breathe in surprise. He placed his paws on Jack's shoulder trying to steady him.

"-window…" Was the small whisper and Bunny looked down at the thin figure in his arms.

"What?" Bunny said in a gruff tone

"Open. The. Window." Jack stated in a hoarse tone. His eyes were shadowed by his bangs and Bunny was pretty sure that the shaking form the other boy had gotten worse. But Bunny didn't let this disturbing knowledge budge him from his earlier decision.

"Not on yer nelly." The Pooka snorted as he tried to push Jack back. "It's already as cold as it is here Frost! I don't need yer wind or snow to make it even _colder_! I mean, _crikey_ I'm a Spring guardian! Can't I get a little warmth in the coldest place on earth?"

But instead of laughing or throwing a jab like usual, Jack fisted the Easter Kangaroo's fur and the bunny winced at the cold frost spreading on his chest. Jack started to speak in a soft tone that barely escaped shaking, "Y-You d-don't u-understand… window, the window s-should always be open… E-Escape, I h-have to escape…"

_Escape?_ Bunny thought worriedly and instead of pushing the brat further away, he held the other's shoulders steady. "Oi, what do ya' mean? Ya' ain't goin' anywhere! The meeting's barely started!"

"Jack, what does Bunny mean? Are you leaving already?" Tooth asked as she hovered closer looking at Jack in worry. Sandy was already on the boy's side, tugging at his hood in worry.

"Window… I-It should be open. _Always _open." Jack said as he pursed his lips. His body shaking even more and everyone exchanged looks worriedly.

"Bunny, give the boy a chance, eh? Open the window." North said as he looked at his old friend. Bunny looked scandalized.

"_Bloody hell_ no! Look mate, I came all the way here from the warren _right after_ Easter! So can't ya give me a _bloody_ break and keep the windows closed just this once? I mean, I wouldn't mind it so much but as you can see-" He motioned to the fireplace drastically. "-yer _drongo_ elves put the fire _out_! Sheila and I are freezin' our tails off!"

Tooth shivered but shook her head. "It's fine, I don't mind. I want Jack to be comfortable." And her amethyst eyes turned to Jack in worry. Bunnymund groaned, rolling his eyes.

"What? Frostbite ain't a ninny! He can take a little warmth. Can't ya' Frostbite?" Bunny said in a tone that challenged Jack to say otherwise.

But instead of a reply… Jack let out a barely audible _whimper_.

The sound reached four pairs of ears and eyes widened as the sound sliced at their hearts. It was soft and the tone was _so_ heavy and the sorrow _so_ _suffocating_ that-

-that, for one reason or another, Bunny found himself pulling away from the winter sprite and turning to push the windows open.

Everyone else's reactions were as instantaneous as Bunny's. North immediately called for a yeti, Sandy made dolphins from his golden sand, surrounding the distraught boy, while Tooth took over the task of holding Jack steady by his shoulders.

It was strange.

Bunny had thought, as he cursed and tried to pry the lock of the slippery iced windows open, that before now, he had never _ever_ heard the winter sprite let out a sound remotely close to that. He had heard bitter laughs, pained grunts, and the like. But never _ever_ had he heard the winter sprite so much as sniffle or _whimper_.

And _maybe_, that small _sound_, coupled with the subtly shaking shoulders, was what undid Bunnymund. And in begrudging acceptance- half excuse and half in worry- the Easter Bunny of Spring and Warmth, decided, that a little more cold _might_ do the room good.

And no, apparently it did _not_ matter that his legs were already shaking.

The wind's reaction on Bunny's prying open of the window was as instantaneous as the others. Tooth yelped and backed away as a small cyclone enveloped the frost child and Sandy- who barely weighed _anything_- was thrown away at the strong gust. North stood his ground, however, as he called for the yetis once more.

Bunny was pushed aside, as Jack was suddenly picked up by the gust of the wind, staff already being taken by the bodiless entity as well.

"Oi!" Bunny said, rushing to their youngest guardian, but before he could say anything more… Jack was already _gone_. Nothing more than a speck in the winter horizon, almost blending with the white cloudy sky.

And the guardians were left behind, a gapping mess of confusion.

"Uh…" North was the one who recovered first as he scratched his head in concern. "What had just happened?"

* * *

Of course, that incident had long passed. The memory was almost a year ago, and summer was nearing once more. The North Pole had finally caught up with the rest of the world and was slowly warming, and Jack had made it his personal ambition to keep all windows and doors open and to let more of the wind and coldness in.

And Bunny _couldn't_ complain about it.

It's not that he _didn't _want _to_. But the Easter Kangaroo figured that a few hours of coldness was worth it…_if_ it meant that a certain winter guardian was happy. Bunny was okay with _anything_, as long as he never get to hear _that_ sound come out of the Spirit's lips again.

Bunny sighed as he looked at the guardian of Fun, napping beside the window sill a peaceful expression on his face. He couldn't help but wonder if Jack knew that Bunny _knew_ the reason _why_ he always kept the windows open.

_E-Escape… I have to e-escape_…

Escape, he had said. The winter child was always looking for a way to escape. Physically, metaphorically? Maybe the first or the second, maybe even both. Jack was always trying to find an escape route.

An escape from loneliness, an escape from a world of hurt and pain... an escape from _any_ situation.

An exit.

Jack always had to have an exit.

When things were too much, when things were too sad, when he felt too open and vulnerable… He always had to have a window or two open for him to escape the harsh reality and bury himself in a blanket of snow.

In the globe room with Tooth, Sandy, North, and Bunny, Jack felt something so permanent and yet so brittle. Being the unsure and free-spirited person he was, Jack felt like he needed an escape route just in case things didn't work out, just in case he gets hurt and couldn't take being hurt. Just incase, everyone suddenly decided he should go and leave them be.

_Just in case_.

This was probably how Jack saw it: Friends were not a constant thing in his life._ Family_ was something even rarer and something he had never _ever _experienced before. Thus, for him there was no guarantee

There was never any guarantee.

Running a hand through his long ears, Bunny approached the winter spirit. His eyes lingering on the beautiful view outside, the moon shining down on the winter spirit gently.

But open windows, can also mean other things. This was Aster's thought as he placed a paw on the cold snow white hair of the youngest guardian. Jack snored peacefully and Bunny laughed at the sound.

Acceptance, opportunities…

_Hope_.

No one had ever opened a window of opportunity for Jack. No one had _ever_ tried to accept him, every spirit and legend automatically turning their backs on the new mischief created from ice and snow.

Even children and their houses kept their windows closed from the onslaught of winter and coldness. And staring at the cold frosted and closed windows for three hundred years might've given Jack a paranoia, a _need_ to always keep every window he sees open.

Because he was tired of rejection and fear.

Tired of closed doors and windows, of warnings in the cold nights telling children to keep _him_ out.

Tired, so _so_ _tired_ of it.

So Jack shows his frustrations and sadness in simple acts: opening a window, giving a meaning that _anyone was welcome_, that no one had to suffer three hundred years of bitterness, loneliness, rejections, and closed windows like him; that _he_, Jack Frost, was always welcome, trying to assure himself that _yes_, the guardians would always keep the windows open and the workshop welcome for him, their little ankle-biter.

_Always._

And at the less depressing thought, Bunny couldn't help but smile a bit as he placed his paws on Jack's shoulder grasping it tightly, showing in that small action that _they_ were never going to leave him and always, _always_ keep the window open for him.

"Jack." Bunny called softly as he shook the winter sprite, trying to wake him. Pooka ears could hear North's thundering footsteps on the halls, calling for everyone to gather for dinner. "Jack, mate, it's time to wake up. North's callin' and we don't wanna keep him waitin' do we?" The rabbit said, chuckling.

However, the chuckle died off when it sounded cold as it reverberated across the empty room. Bunny's eyebrows crinkled when the winter sprite still didn't respond. Both paws were gripping the shoulders tightly now, worry in the spring green eyes.

"Jack? Jack!" Bunny called out in worry when blue eyes refused to peek from beneath the eyelids. For several seconds, Bunny looked confused and worried when the wind suddenly blew on his face, berating him, warning him, _whispering_ to him.

Green eyes widened when a conversation so long ago, entered his mind. A sorrowful and pained look passed his face as he leaned forward and gathered the sleeping teen in his warm arms, carrying him away from the cold window.

"Oh Bunny!" North said as he entered, a jolly laugh ringing out from deep within his belly as he saw Jack in the other's arms, being cuddled by the rabbit. "I see Jack is still to wake! Wake him up now, for a grand feast is about to commence!" North said joyfully and laughed, but he stopped when he saw Bunny's ears folding to his head as the Easter Rabbit shook his head. "What is the matter?"

Bunny sighed, a tired sound from his lips as he looked at North's eyes sadly. "Frosbite ain't joinin' us for dinner North."

Confusion. "What? He is merely asleep! Wake boy up! I am sure he will-" But Bunny shook his head.

"He ain't _joinin_' us for dinner, North. Not for a _long_ time." Bunny said in a serious but sad tone. Blue eyes widened when the guardian of Wonder deciphered the message behind the words.

"Oh." Twinkling blue eyes dimmed as North stepped closer to Bunny and ruffled the snow white hair of the winter spirit in affection. "My boy…" He said in a sad tone that hinted on missing something- _someone . _"He should've _told_ us."

"Didn't want us to worry I guess…" Bunny said shrugging as he nudged his nose on the sleeping guardian's forehead in affection. "Gonna miss the tyke."

And North sighed at the tone. "We all will." He said in a gruff tone. "We will not think of this for now. Jack will want us to start dinner. Come, I have already prepared room for our youngest guardian!" When Bunny gave Santa a look, the old man added in a scandalized tone, "I do not want him to sleep in snow bank! I want him to be with family as he goes through this!"

Bunny smiled at that and nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

North snorted. "I'm always right! Like how Christmas is better than Easter! I am right at that too!" Bunny growled at the guardian of Wonder, warning him not to push it, but the jolly man just sent him a playful wink. "Now enough of past rivalries, we go to room now yes?"

"Yeah…" Bunny said as he shifted the light weight in his arms. He nuzzled Jack's hair just one last time in affection and also to express that no matter how annoying the winter spirit was, he'd still _miss _him. "Let's go."

Looking once more at Jack with affection, North led the way to Jack's long ago prepared room.

_We'll always keep the window open for you, __Snowflake._

* * *

**Notes:** Interesting, interesting! Loved this chapter once more! So the part where Jack is _sleeping_ will be explained is entitled **Hibernation**, I'm sure many of you can already guess why he's sleeping. So yeah, but once again, the next chapter will be decided on my _whim_. Humor... erm, I don't think I'm good at humor, but I hope to create one soon!

So we're nearing the 70 reviews mark, I'll make you guys a challenge! The _one hundredth reviewer_ can request me any one-shot that will be added here. He or she can ask for the next arc of a certain story or else give me an idea for the next chapter!

And on another note, the _first three reviewers_ on the **tenth chapter** will get the same prize, so keep your eyes peeled!

**Night-Fury1**: I overdoses the Bunny and Jack fluff here, I hope you enjoy it!

**Sleepery: ***gives virtual hug* No need to run away! Thank you for always reviewing!

**FrostFan: **I'm not really fond of cursing XD But maybe I'll try that angle if you give me a more clearer idea of the story you are thinking!

**Misato92: **Thank you very much for that compliment, it made me smile today and I am thankful to God for the fact that I can write! :D Thank you very much!

**Dragowolf: **Thank you for your worry over my health! I will update as soon as I can!

Special thanks to **Cayran, TheJoyousrosser, Cat Flower Queen, **and **the guests.**

And also with regards to that idea about the 'hope is Jack' thing... I was wondering if anyone would make it for me XD But if you guys really liked it that much, I guess I can squeeze it in with **Ice Prince**. I mean, if you guys _really_ want to read about it XDD

So, a funny thing happened recently (I don't know if you'll read this rant but haha, I hope you do) it has sometthing to do with the **Rain **chapter. I was asking the sky for a sign that there should be a second part (since a lot of people want a second part) and well, _never_ ask they sky for sign again.

It **rained**. Hard. For **five** freaking days!

I'm glad I got the sign, but sometimes there's something called _too much._

But I was happy! I LOVE the rain very much ^^!

So yeah, that's the end of my rant. Thank you! And please review if it's not too troublesome!


	8. Convince Me

**Summary:** Jack traces the image of an Easter egg and made the rabbit on the window come to life and fly around the room for Jamie. But _what if_ Bunny and the other guardians saw him make the last light believe again?

_Set for the prompt:_ Bunny sees Jack convince Jamie that he was real.

_Actual Prompt:__ "_okay so that scene where Jack traced the image of an easter egg and made the rabbit on the window come to life and fly around the room? Can someone PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE write a fic where Bunnymund actually witnessed that too? It doesn't matter if the other Guardians are there or not, maybe they got to Jamie first but he couldn't see any of them until Jack showed him the "sign" or whatever, but yeah, whoever writes this i will love you forever."

_And so here it is. My fill for the prompt!_

**Convince Me**

He was at his _weakest_ state. Losing Easter and his believers had really taken a hard blow on him. He wasn't incapacitated from walking like North, nor was he unable to fly like Tooth. No, his punishment for losing Easter and Hope was much worse than the two.

He had shrunk.

Not just in size but also in power. He was nothing more than a harmless little bunny who could only cower as nightmares tried to attack the sleigh. With his diminished strength, North could hardly control the reindeers and Bunny, already at his limit, couldn't afford to be scared of heights and of crashing.

The last light was their only hope. Pitch had gone to snuff out the brightest and last light and they couldn't _afford_ that! They _had to_ protect the children! As long as one child believed in them, they would do everything- _everything_ in their power to protect that child.

_But what about that other child you abandoned? What about Jack Frost?_

Bunny raised a small paw to hit his head in annoyance, trying to get rid of the guilty conscience speaking at the back of his mind. He didn't _care_ for that winter spirit that caused the blizzard of '68, endangering the children who wanted to go egg hunting. He didn't _care_ for that traitor who had gone to take back his memories rather than help them out with Pitch.

He didn't _care_.

So _why_, why couldn't he stop thinking about it?

However, the shrunk pooka was rudely awoken from his thoughts when the sleigh suddenly crash landed on the pavement of Burgess. He heard Tooth let out a startled cry at the rough landing while North called out desperately to the reindeers who had freed themselves from the reigns and escaped. Bunny had covered his ears, shaking in fright as he felt the harsh rattling and falling apart of the once sturdy mode of transportation.

Bunny could hear North let out a muffled curse in Russian and the small pooka looked up with big green eyes. He turned to see if Tooth was alright, and the queen of fairies seemed to be fine, only panting a bit at what had happened.

"Da, it does not matter. Let reindeers go! We are in front of the last light's house! Jamie Bennett!" North said and with a groan he hobbled towards Bunny, his sword acting as his crutches. "You okay, Bunnymund?"

"Not as good as before, but I can handle anythin', mate." The Easter Bunny said as he raised his paws in defense, however this was ruined when the pooka sneeze and shiver, looking strangely vulnerable.

North's blue eyes widened and suddenly reflected helplessness when he saw the vulnerable state the pooka was in. And for a moment the hope in the eyes of wonder dimmed.

The young rabbit felt his breath being taken away at the dark void of helplessness in North's mind. He could sense a person's loss of hope like a punch to the gut. Anyone close to him losing hope was _very_ dangerous for him, and North seemed to have _conveniently_ forgotten that.

Placing a hand to his small chest, the Easter bunny curled onto himself, shaking and trying to breathe. He felt like he was drowning in a black lake, trying to keep his head afloat, trying to grab unto something, _anything_-

"Bunny!" North shouted in concern as he pulled back the helpless feeling when he saw green eyes widen and the guardian of Hope choke in his own breath. "I am sorry! I did not know what I was thinking I-!"

"I-It's all good mate." Bunny muttered as he coughed and inhaled deeply, slowly regaining himself. North locking up his feelings, helped. "It can't be help, what with our situation an' all..."

"No! No, no excuses! We have chance to win! With the last light we can still turn the tide! We can't let Pitch-!" North began but then a startled gasp from Toothiana made the old Santa turn to her cautiously. "Tooth! Is something wrong?"

Tooth shook her head, amethyst eyes pointing at something not far. North and Bunny's eyes followed what she was pointing at. They let out a synchronized cursed breath when they saw the black clouds in the sky.

"We 'ave no time!" North lifted Bunny who let out a wail of protest. "Tooth let us go!" The jolly man hobbled into the house quietly with the queen of fairies behind him, trying to walk without relying on her useless wings.

* * *

Sneaking into the house was easier than they thought. It was either because Jamie's parents were heavy sleepers or because they were nothing but fictional characters in adults' minds-that they were able to go up to the bedroom on the right at the second floor without much fuss. They slowly opened the door with many strange markings that could only belong to one very imaginative boy.

He was there… the last light-Jamie Bennett, on his bed, kneeling as he looked at a stuffed rabbit with a determined expression. Tooth and Santa exchanged worried looks at the sight of the boy while Bunny felt the coldness of a slowly diminishing belief in him. He shivered, trying to calm himself.

"Okay, look." Jamie said pointedly and seriously. "You and I are obviously at what they call a 'crossroad'. So, here's what's gonna happen..."

Bunny watched with growing helplessness as the young boy talked with a stuffed rabbit, wondering if Jamie- _like every other child_- was going to stop believing in him. The thought that the last light sustaining Bunny was soon gonna be put _out_ made the small pooka shiver in dread at the thought of losing his _center_. His _hope_.

The fear was like claws, death was like a chill running down the pookas spine, calling out to him, telling him that his disappearance was inevitable, that he, like _Sandy_ was going to cease to exist.

However, a gasp from Tooth once again roused the tiny rabbit from his dark thoughts. And one word came out of those tired lips as a slim finger pointed at the window while Jamie continued to talk to his stuffed rabbit that would never respond. "Jack." Toothiana said with relief and hope.

_Jack_.

Jack Frost.

What did the troublemaker want _now_?

"...prove it, like right _now_." The desperation in Jamie's voice made Bunny's ears twitch towards the boy. He could see sad and desperate brown eyes looking at the stuffed toy. Beside him, North was breathing slowly, quietly muttering if they should show themselves now to prove to the boy their existence.

But Bunny wasn't listening.

His eyes had gone back to look at a certain winter sprite's face. Blue eyes looking over at Jamie, unknowing that the guardians were there at Jamie's room, watching what was happening with him. Blue eyes, usually so light when playing pranks, when _laughing_ had significantly dimmed, and all Bunny could think of at the moment was his guilt at being the one to cause the grief and sadness and loneliness in Jack's eyes.

A loneliness and grief Bunny had _felt_ when a boy had walked through him.

He had barely been able to handle that _once_. What did it feel like for Jack who had handled it for _three hundred years_?

A twinge of pain entered his heart. He claimed he had wanted to save this Bennett kid from Pitch. But how can he save the little ankle biter when he wasn't even able to save someone like Jack who had been around for three hundred years?

Jamie pursed his lips and his next words made Bunny turn back to him. "I believed in you for a _long time_, okay? My whole life in fact." Jamie sat up straight bringing the stuffed bunny near his face."So you kind of owe me now." There was a little hope in his voice as he continued to talk. "You don't have to do much! Just a little sign so I know..." Bunny turned to Jack who had a sad and regretful look on his face.

"Anything, anything at all..." The voice was barely a whisper from Jamie Bennett and Bunny felt the anticipation of hope warming him. Teary and light brown eyes looking at the rabbit with so much trust and so much admiration that it took the pooka's breath away. North was nudging him in urgency now, asking Bunny what they should do. The kid was asking for _him_, and yet...

Bunny _didn't _move.

There was a cold silence. Even Jack seemed to freeze by his spot in the window sill. He didn't have to hide like the guardians, since he was practically invisible to everyone... And that thought hurt Bunny more than it was supposed to.

"I knew it." Three words sent a stab of cold and pain into the pooka's heart. The last hope among children was slowly diminishing and _he_- the guardian of _hope!_- couldn't do _anything_ about it!

Nothing!

He couldn't do _anything_ at all!

"Bunny!" Tooth and North exclaimed in hushed voices when the rabbit fell back onto North's chest just as Jamie's stuffed bunny fell to the floor.

Green eyes looked around wildly, darkness threatening to take him and yet, for the last time he found himself looking at the boy by the window.

Jack's eyes had gone wide in uncertainty. The spirit was looking at the stuffed bunny on the floor, looking torn at wanting to reach out and also at wanting to leave, because he _knew_ that even if he called out...

_No one would hear him_

And Bunny, for the life of him, felt sad because of that. He felt sad for the winter sprite, for leaving him behind and for not listening to what he had to say before he accused him. He felt sad for all the times he told Jack that he was unimportant and made him feel worthless...

But most of all, Bunny felt sad that he never got to apologize for _anything_. How ironic it was, that only in his last moments was Bunny able to feel true regret for everything he had ever done and said.

And because of those regrets, Bunny couldn't help but feel- as he stared at the moon- that he deserved the fact that his existence was slowly dying away.

He, North, and Tooth had come to Jamie's house to save the last light's belief.

But in the end, hadn't they come to ensure their own existence in the world, rather than to fight for the last sliver of hope?

Because of this, Bunnymund _realized_ that he was worse than Pitch.

Much, _much_ worse.

And now, he was getting what he deserved.

"Jack!" Tooth exclaimed once more and Bunny's tired green eyes turned to see Jack enter Jamie's room. He tilted his head in confusion. What was Jack going to do? He was invisible wasn't he? Was he going to convince Jamie that the guardians were real?

The idea seemed ludicrous though, especially since Bunny didn't see why Jack would ever do that for him.

After all, what had Bunnymund ever done for Jack?

Nothing but scorn and turn him away.

Jamie was still at his bed, head bowed down, looking like the world had disappointed him in the worst way possible. Meanwhile Jack tapped the glass pane of the boy's window allowing fern-like frost to spread.

"Look..." Tooth gasped as her amethyst eyes watched Jack's slim finger draw on the glass. A crude drawing of an easter egg became the result and Bunny felt the spark of hope returning in his system.

"H-He is making the boy believe again..." North said in awe, and Bunny couldn't help but _feel_ awe.

W-What? How? Why?

_Why?_

The Bennett boy had heard the crackling of ice and had turned. Brown eyes were wide when he saw the drawing come out of thin air. He was staring at the window and alternating his brown eyes to staring at the bunny on the floor and then at the crude drawing of an egg. He seemed shock and unbelieving, but Bunny could feel the hope wanting to spark the belief back into the ten-year-old.

Jamie had stood up now, nearing the window, still unable to see the frost boy creating the miracle in his room. "He's real." He muttered in a shocked tone.

Jack smiled sadly at the boy, knowing that Jamie was thinking of the Easter Bunny not him, but nonetheless the winter spirit continued to sew back the precious belief and _hope_ into the last light.

Another frost fern-like pattern spread onto another glass pane. Jack began to draw a rabbit this time. Bunny's heart pounded when he saw the simple smile on Jack's face as he looked at Jamie.

_That_ was the smile of a person who cared deeply for children. _That_ was a smile of a _true guardian_.

The winter spirit was unmindful of brown eyes staring past him, as Jack closed his eyes and focused on the frost drawing on the window. He moved his hands, as though willing his creation to _life_.

Four startled breaths were taken when the rabbit on the frosted window jumped out and into existence. And Bunny felt strength return to him completely when Jack gave a blinding smile at the young Bennett who whooped and laughed in joy at the sudden miracle.

It was _beautiful_.

The frost rabbit pranced around the room, leaving frosty trails in its wake. Beside the Easter Bunny, Tooth was giggling and wiping tears from her eyes at the display while North tried to hold back his jolly laughter, feeling energetic as he felt the burning _wonder_ from the last light in the world.

Jack, the _blessed_ boy who saved Bunny from disappearing was also laughing as well. Although his laughter was a bit sad as he watched his own creation make Jamie happy.

Jamie who was _never_ going to see Jack.

And in that moment, watching Jack interact with the kid and adore Jamie despite being invisible, Bunny had never wished for anything harder in his life than for Jack to be _seen_ and _believed in_ by this Jamie kid as well.

And as though to answer to his prayer, the snow bunny exploded into snow, showering Jamie with its glowing brightness, shocking him. "Snow?" Jamie said in confusion.

One particular snowflake, however, landed on Jamie's nose and a look of worsened confusion before dawning realization suddenly entered the child's face.

"Jack Frost." Tooth, North, and Bunny gasped simultaneously at the surprising development. The sudden calling of his name made Jack freeze as he stared at the boy on the bed.

"Did you just say-?"

Jamie looked around, hearing the faint voice. "Jack Frost?"

Jack let out a startled breath. "He said it again!" The winter sprite was practically jumping with glee. Bunny watched with bated breath as Jamie turned at the sound of the sprite's voice. "He said-! You said-!" Jack's blue eyes were trained at the boy in concentration. But Bunny flinched when he saw the untrusting look in Jack's face, as though daring himself _not _to hope.

The pooka watched as brown eyes turned and widened in shock when it caught sight of the immortal teen, Jamie was openly gapping at the other one now. "Jack Frost."

"That's right!" Jack gasped, looking totally mind blown as he stepped back. "B-But that's me! Jack Frost! That's my name!" And it Tooth let out a sad 'oh' as Jack looked at the kid with wonder and disbelief mixed with unrivaled happiness. "You said my name!"

North let out a sympathetic noise of happiness and sadness at the fact that this was the first time Jack was seen by a kid. Bunny's ears folded into his head in shame and guilt.

"W-Wait, c-can you hear me?" Jack said refusing to believe, but a nod from Jamie made blue eyes widen and Bunny swore he could see tears. "C-Can you...? C-Can you see me?" Another nod and Jack's happiness couldn't be contained.

Bunny watched the glee and mirth in the other's face as he realized he could be seen. Jack let out a breathe he didn't know he was holding. "H-He sees me! He sees me!" The tone breaks just a little bit at the end but it was enough to let Bunny know that Jack, _annoying, mischievous, troublemaker_Jack, had wanted this for a long time. A very, _very_ long time... However he had long since lost hope of being seen by the kids he _so _wanted to protect. But _unconsciously_ he had continued to hope.

And that knowledge, made Bunny shiver in sadness and undeniable guilt once more.

"This is enough." North had said in a surprisingly gentle tone when he noticed Bunny's shiver. "We must leave. I do not think Jack will appreciate seeing such a private moment."

Tooth nodded, and her pale features looked healthier ever since Jamie's belief came back. "We should... give them some time..." Her amethyst eyes looked at Jack in longing, wanting to barge into the room and hug the sad and lonely boy of three hundred years.

"Aye, mate. His first believer..." Bunny said in a hoarse tone. "He deserves some time to be happy."

The three guardians exchanged nods as Santa reached out to close the door, the excited voices of Jamie and Jack echoing throughout the house. Bunny wondered if Jamie's parents would wake up.

"But what about the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy! I mean who do-"

"REAL! Real! Real! Everyone of us," Jack said in a heartfelt tone that made Bunny's heart skip. "...is _real_."

And that was all Bunny could take as North closed the door. He looked up, his green eyes teary but he refused to believe it was because he felt _emotional_, it was the damn baby bunny form he was in that made him so teary that's all!

But North smiled at the small Easter rabbit in understanding and Tooth giggled as she scratched the back of Bunny's ears. The pooka groaned in annoyance.

"I KNEW IT!" Jamie's loud voice made them jump and for a second the sound of the door opening made the three guardians freeze.

"Jamie, who are you talking to?"

The guardians exchanged a look, but then Jamie answered uncertainly, "Uhm Jack Frost?"

The woman, Jamie's mom, laughed. "Okay."

The guardians smiled as they heard laughters coming from the last light's room. North, Tooth, and Bunny waited for the sound of the door to the adults' room to close before they headed out of the house, a smile lifting their faces with their hopes renewed.

But this _time_, it wasn't Bunnymund, the guardian of _Hope_, that inspired this. They _smiled_ and _hoped_ because of a winter spirit that made a certain light _believe_ again.

And the guardians knew, that Jack was someone worthy to be believed in.

* * *

Bunny will remember later, the gratitude he feels towards Jack Frost, a _being_ he once thought caused nothing but trouble. But in the end, _he_ had saved them all.

He will remember the unselfish actions of a boy who wasn't believed in for three hundred years as he made the last light believe in E. Aster Bunnymund, the pooka who did nothing but spite the young spirit of winter ever since h met him.

Bunny will remember the beautiful frost bunny that hopped in Jamie Bennett's room, the crude drawing of an Easter egg, and the fight that helped return the guardians' centers and powers to them.

But most of all, Bunny would remember the fact that he owed the guardian of Fun something _more_ than his life. He will remember the promise he made that day when he heard the winter spirit's laughter of glee at being seen. He will do anything to make it up to the boy who had done _everything_ to catch someone, _anyone's_ attention. And yet selflessly flung himself in the path of danger for four people who barely talked to him in his three hundred years of solitude.

Bunny will remember _this_ and never, _ever_ forget…

_Jack Frost_ is someone more than worthy to be _believed in._

He was the person who befitted the title 'guardian of childhood' the most.

And Bunny, was more than okay with that.

* * *

**IMPORTANT:**With regards to the next chapter. I was planning to update **Hydrophobia** or **Trauma **an arc for _Weird Habits._ But there are a few people who wanted the next arc for **Rain**. And now some would like to read about the **Hibernation **chapter, an arc for _Open_ Window.

SO! Since I am unable to decide, I've put up a poll to make the readers vote between the three! The poll will be closed on _wednesday_ or _friday_, depending on when I'm free. So please **vote** on what chapter you'd like next before my next update!

**Notes: **Whoah, another long one! *slams head* I really am enjoying updating this story! I knew a collection of oneshots or drabbles was perfect for me, what with my random ideas popping in my head all the time! Came up with two new ideas again! That brings my ideas for one-shots to nearly forty! I'm thrilled! Thanks everyone for liking the chapter before! I sorta expected a few reactions and there's one thing I have to say- _NO_, Jack _did not_ die. Okay? XD

So yes, let's see to the **review replies: **

**Dragowolf: **Thanks again for worrying about me! And you have to wait for the explanation about Jack! With regard to global warming thing, Im gonna do a chapter about that- since I'm a total green freak and I like love nature and all those hippy things. Though I am _no _ hippy. Just a president of an environmental society :D And the hope thing, I wish I have more time. Qualifications and finals are my top priorities but I'll somehow squeeze my passion in.

**winterwiccan: **I'll let you know if I do _write _it or someone else writes it! And thank you for your wonderful review!

**Sleepery: **Thanks for the cookie! :D

**Night-Fury1: **A slash bunnyfrost for you. Not relationship thing cause I suck at romance, sorry. But I hope you like the feels and the fluff!

**FrosBitten SnowDrift****: **Your review was the first one I saw and I bursted out laughing (your review was that _amazing)_ XD No Jack DID NOT die! Thanks for the review!

Thanks for all those who reviewed the last chapter! I see you guys really loved that chappie and it makes me confused on what to update next!


	9. Aquaphobia

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **He was curious and frightened at the same time. The lake was calling out to him and Jack, _brave_ Jack, decided to answer its calls.

**Aquaphobia**

_Set before 'Weird Habits' and 'Sleeping Beneath Ice'_

So.

_This_ was the reason he kept coming back to Burgess, huh?

_This_ was the reason he considered the lake outside of normal society his 'home', is it?

The fact that he _died _here, had been the answer to his strange attraction.

How _weird_ is that?

Jack shivered, a first time for everything I guess, as he stared at the silent and frosted blue lake with slight apprehension and curiosity. He could feel it, like something tugging at the back of his mind constantly, the distant memory of coldness wrapped around his body, the feeling of his limbs locking together, unable to move, the water burning his lungs with unearthly coldness, choking him, freezing him _inside _and _out_-

Jack gasped, limbs flailing, falling ungracefully off the tree he was perched on seconds ago. Thankfully, the snowman under his tree- a tribute by Jamie and friends- broke his fall, holding the frail winter teen in its now scattered body- er- snow parts.

"Sorry Frosty." Jack had murmured apologetically to the snowman he had endearingly named after him, a little distracted as his blue eyes looked at the lake once more.

Memories he had unconsciously locked up suddenly busted through, dwelling on his thoughts, shadowing him, creeping his every waking moment as he sat on top of the old branch and _thought _and _thought _-

-and before he knew it, Jack was crossing ten feet distance of white snow to walk to the cool surface of the lake that had taken everything from him. His old mortal life, his family, his supposed fun day with his sister, and his sister. The lake _nearly_ took his _sister_!

"Couldn't have been sturdier, could you?" Jack mumbled in annoyance as he hit the butt of his staff on the frozen surface of the lake. Blue frost spread across the cold, _cold _surface, making the ice go thicker, freezing even more of the water below.

The winter spirit kneeled down, observing the newly thickened ice and for his own amusement, he knocked his knuckles on the surface.

Good. It was sturdy.

No one's gonna experience death via hypothermia any time soon.

Satisfied, Jack stood up straight and placed one foot on the icy surface.

"_-you always play tricks!"_

The pain was like nothing he had ever experienced. It wasn't pain per say, more like getting caught by a whirlwind of surprise and confusion of memories locked up for three hundred years. But still it was pain to him.

So, unable to help himself, the guardian of Fun staggered forward, falling into a graceless heap.

"Ow." Jack mumbled, face against the hard ice as he sat up and tried to get himself together.

"_Be careful."_

A laugh. An old laugh filled with nothing short of happiness and love and-

"_We will."_

-and empty promises.

To be fair, back then, Jack didn't know he was gallivanting towards his own doom, his _death_. He didn't know that by going to the lake with his sister, he was somehow sealing his fate, end up dying, and being turned into a winter spirit on the same day. He _didn't know_ that he'd spend the next three hundred years alone, wandering the world with no memories, forever wondering what warmth was, what _family_ was…

He didn't know. He _didn't _know.

And probably, even if he knew what was going to happen next, he'd still probably go through with it again.

Because if it meant he could save his sister's life… Then Jack had no problem with dying a hundred times again for her sake.

Straightening up, Jack looked down at the cold surface of the lake once more. Blue eyes blank with thought and wistfulness.

The ice underneath his hands felt solid, unlike the ice of that early March. The ice back then felt so fragile underneath his feet, and despite already being as thin as he is, he couldn't help but feel worried that he was too heavy for it to support him.

But it was fine, right?

He saved his sister.

He didn't have to think or worry about fragile and breaking ice again.

As long as he was around, no one had to worry about thawing or breaking ice. No one would die the same way he did. Swallowed and surrounded by the darkness and cold.

_Darkness and cold._

_Cold and dark._

Unconsciously, Jack's hands formed into a fist before relaxing again. Standing up, the winter spirit walked gracefully to the middle of the lake.

"He was wrong." Jack thought aloud. "Dark and cold don't go together. It's scary and no one, not even me, would like that sort of world."

The wind blew softly, ruffling his hair in worry. The winter sprite talking to himself was never a good thing in her book.

Jack huffed as he plopped down on the smooth surface of the lake. He looked up at the sky, darkness blotted by small lights and the moon. Manny shone down on him, relieving him from his thoughts and fears, and Jack thought back to the first time he saw the moon. And with finality, he said, "He was wrong."

And Manny shone brighter to answer that: _yes_ Pitch had been wrong.

And more than _anything_, Jack needed and appreciated that confirmation.

* * *

He was still lying there.

Three days have passed. The guardians would worry about him eventually if he didn't go to see them. Pitch's threat was still fresh in their memories. It has only been a few weeks since the battle of their lives had taken place.

But Jack didn't move.

He liked where he was: cold and smooth surface, the moon still shining down on him. Manny's full attention for the past three days never waning.

And attention was what Jack had always craved from the strange and silent guardian of the earth. So, basically, Jack liked where he was.

That and the fact that a certain death kept replaying in his mind.

He could almost imagine it happening right now, as he gazed up at the endless dark blue off the sky.

The fragile ice on his back making a horrifying sound, cracks appearing on the smooth level of the icy surface, the feel of his once warm heart beating rapidly in his chest as he thought, _oh no, oh no, oh no…!_

And Jack forgot that he could defrost ice as well as he could freeze water. He didn't hear the reality of the ice thinning under him, slowly cracking at his light weight as he let his imagination run wild with broken ice, broken dreams, broken family…

And Jack, so unaware, so _trusting _with his own powers, didn't move and didn't see the moon shining- _glowing_ brighter in alarm as the ice gave one loud and final -

_CRACK!_

-as _finally_, the ice gave way and Jack plunged under the cold and dark nightmare he had imagined for himself.

* * *

**Notes: **Finished! And yes, as you can guess the polls had been up and the winner of _which arc should be updated is__**: **_the **Weird Habits** arc! So here is the update of that arc entitled '**Aquaphobia**'! Where I get my titles, even I don't know! Haha! The chapter entitled **Trauma** is its continuation (Jack's thoughts on why and how he started sleeping underneath the lake and how the guardians found him like that).

So yes, as per voting, the next arc to be updated will be **Hibernation**. And after that **Droplets**.

However those two could be easily be delayed because *drums* the 100th reviewer has already been decided!

Congratulations **hisokauzumaki**! You can now request any one-shot or else choose any of my lined up chapters to be updated! Hurrah!

Of course this will depend if the 100th reviewer will respond to me or not XD

But don't worry we still have the _first three reviewers _of the **tenth chapter** who will also be receiving the same prize. So yes, keep your eyes peeled for the next chapter and good luck!

Thanks again for the wonderful reviews and please, review again!

Your reviews keeps me happy and stress-free!

Thank you!

**Edited: **Title from 'Hydrophobia' to 'Aquaphobia'


	10. Krampus

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **They had cast him off, deemed him something dangerous for the children. Naughty children _deserved_ to be punished, and even though North wasn't comfortable with how he dealt with things, jolly old Saint Nick was only in charge of the _good kids_… and the naughty ones? They are dispensed at _Krampus_' capable claws.

**Hisokauzumaki** (100th reviewer): '_So, anyways I was thinking, for ch.10 I'd use an original prompt. Okay, this was inspired by Sandy's thoughts in chapter 6 'Sleeping beneath the Ice. "what if Jack had been kidnapped without their knowledge?"_

_Basically, I'm a sucker for Damsel-in-distress Jack stories. How about Krampus (the anti-Santa) kidnaps Jack in order to ruin Christmas?_'

**Krampus**

All was quiet. It was a month before Christmas and Santoff Claussen was as dark as it could be. Yetis were asleep, gathering up energy for the oncoming and busy month of December and even the elves have crashed for the night, although that was probably because of the sugar high brought about by a dozen hundreds of cookies and eggnog.

Even Santa was asleep, head in his arms, sitting behind his desk in his private office. A loud snore emanated from his hunched up form as he dreamed up of more toys than the most imaginative child could ever dream of, golden sand dancing above his head. Two weeks of writing down his new designs had left him with barely enough time for rest and now he was reaping up his rest.

Their guard was down, Santa's workshop was at its weakest state, and it was really no surprise that a dark shadow managed to latch onto the window and open it with ease, no yeti interrupting his breaking and entering.

Hooves landed on the maple wood flooring, and a hunched figure wearing a dark hood that covered half of his face but not the horns on his head and a sack on his hand, entered. He looked about the place with annoyance but also with smugness as he made his way familiarly through the hallways, going to one particular room.

Two _very _thick scrolls laid on the table, light shining down on them as the bright words of _Naughty_ and _Nice _glinted, inviting the intruder to take a look upon them.

The strange creature of the night smirked as he walked towards one scroll in particular, lifting it up with care as he unrolled the parchment gently to view the first name on the list.

The unknown, mysterious creature smiled a wide, _cruel_ smile that showed his rotten teeth. If the toothfairy had been there, she would've fainted not only from the sight but also from the smell his decayed molars emanated.

Closing the scroll, the strange hooded figure closed the scroll and pocketed it into the black sack he was carrying. He took out something from his pocket and deposited it in the place where the scroll used to be. Coal spread across the mahogany desk messily.

"Hohoho…" A rough voice rang out through the room as the intruder made his way to the window and threw it open. A layer of frost and a flurry of snow told him where he should go as he slipped out of the workshop and into the night, unnoticed.

* * *

Jack Frost was sitting atop a certain last light's house gazing up at the moon, basking in the warm glow when he heard a strange sound of someone landing behind him. Blue eyes snapped around, staff at the ready as the winter sprite prepared for anyone about to attack him-

But no one was there.

Blinking, Jack turned back to stare at the moon with curiosity, one dark brow raised. "Did you hear that?"

The moon shone brighter and Jack shook his head. Manny was somewhere in outer space, of course he wouldn't have heard anything. But Jack seemed to have misinterpreted the moon beam sent to him, not noticing the alarm behind the glowing light shining down on him. The winter spirit looked down on the roof.

"Huh?" Jack asked when he saw a strange shadow forming from the light the lumpy rock exhibited. A silhouette of a person with horns and a strangely bent nose met blue eyes. Jack's eyebrows furrowed. "Wha-?"

"'Ey now, it's not nice to ask for help from the moon himself." A voice rang out and Jack turned abruptly just as a dark sack suddenly suffocated him making him yelp in shock. "That's cheatin' but then again, yew _are_ on top of the Naughty list…" A dark unfamiliar cackle made Jack squirm in panic as he tried to freeze the sack and break out, but the person who had him, pulled Jack's staff away as though he was taking candy from a baby.

"Tsk, tsk… Can't have yowr little trinket ruinin' mah job now can we?" The person huffed as he threw the squirming sack over his shoulder while throwing Jack's staff unto the ground below. He grunted. "Light as a snowflake, who 'em rumors kiddin'?"

And with that final say, the stranger took a _borrowed_ snow globe from his pocket and threw it into the ground below him. A dark portal formed and he took one step forward, allowing himself and his new charge to be transported into a darker realm.

Meanwhile, Jack's staff laid forgotten in the middle of the Bennett's backyard, slowly being buried by the flurries of panicked snow coming from the sky.

* * *

Two weeks before Christmas and the whole place was a buzz. Apparently a year of preparation was not enough for the yetis of Santoff Claussen. Everyday a nice child went to the naughty list or a naughty doer would end up doing something that got him into the nice list. Children were changing everyday, their preferences shifting as fast as the evolution of technology, and the yetis and _Santa_ (and to some extent, the _elves_) were trying their best to keep up with demands all over the world.

At least with Easter you only had to hand out chocolate eggs. In Christmas you had to think up of a dozen of different designs that changed everyday because of television and internet and outside peer influences. Bunny thought that North had it_ easy_ because of the 'one year preparation thing'.

The Easter Kangaroo was clearly deluded.

"Yes. Yes. No. No. Yes! Wait- no! Paint it pink! Girls like pink!" North said as he went over the different toys made by the yetis after the blueprints and designs he drew and thought up of himself. "Phil get me list! Now!"

The big lump of fur grunted as he turned and avoided a couple of elves trying to electrocute themselves with the Christmas lights again. North sighed when he saw this. Do the little troublemakers ever learn?

However, just as North was about to tell them off a sudden thumping sound made him turn and meet the green eyes of a very familiar old friend.

"G'day, mate." Kangaroo- Bunny said with a tilt of his head as North frowned at him.

"Bunny, I have no time for the usual arguments." North said impatiently as he pushed passed the Easter Rabbit to get to a yeti who was having trouble with one of his toy designs. "No! It is all wrong! You have to use the wood! Wood! Violin is better when made from wood!"

The yeti argued, grunting something about the ice prototype North made and North threw his arms in the air, saying that it was a prototype, just an example-

"North! Calm down ya' drongo!" Bunny said as he pulled back the distressed man from berating the too tired yeti. "Can't you see they're trying their best? Ya' always make fun of me when I'm too uppity but have ya' looked in the mirror lately?" When the old man didn't say anything, Bunny led him to the quiet hallways, away from the noise of the yetis and mischief of the elves. "Now tell ol' Bunny what's got you beard in a twist."

The old Santa sighed, running a hand through his white hair, eyebrows crinkling. "It is just…" Blue eyes looked down at his hands helplessly. "I am determined to give kids wonderful Christmas this year. So many kids wanting so many things… but most just want to be with their families." North turned to look at the guardian of Hope. "I cannot give them that, humans make their own decisions. Fathers have to work, mothers have to say goodbye, they do this all for family. And it does not matter if half a million children write in their letters that they wish for _family_ because I cannot give them that. I can only give gifts and toys that'll ease their loneliness even for a moment."

Bunny's ears flopped at the tired tone in the usually jolly man's voice. "North, you're doin' a good job mate. Don't let helplessness get ya' down. I'm sure the little ankle-biters'll appreciate everythin'. Get yer Wonder arse back up and do yer job like the happy dill ya' are. Stress ain't suitin' ya' well mate. Ya' even look like you lost a few pounds!"

North let out a booming laugh as he patted his belly. "Yes, yes! You are right my friend! I will leave stressing to you and Easter."

"Hey!"

"And speaking of family, it has been awhile since I last saw the guardians gather! How is Tooth and Sandy?" North said as he began to walk down the hallways and towards the globe room, Bunny hopping beside him.

"As busy as ever. But they're downright worried about ya'. Sent me to check and everythin'." Bunny huffed as he crossed his arms. Even _if_ he had a few months to spare, he was _not _a messenger bunny.

"Aw, you do care!" North laughed, using the infamous line Jack said when he pretended to fall out of the sleigh. Bunny glared at him in annoyance. "And? What about new guardian? How is Jack doing?"

Bunny's ear twitched at the mention of the winter sprite as he scrunched up his face. "Haven't seen Frostbite for a few weeks now actually. Thought you might have a clue on where he is."

North who had been in front of Bunny, stumbled as he turned to stare at Bunny wide-eyed. "What? Jack is missing?"

"I never said-"

"Jack is missing! Bunny! Why did you not come earlier? What if Pitch came back or worse-!"

"I-!"

"We have to get others at once!" The old man rushed to the switch and flipped it down. A brilliant array of colors exploded through the sky. "Jack, may have been kidnapped or tortured or-!"

"NORTH!" Bunny bellowed loudly. The Cossack jumped in surprise as he turned at the guardian off Hope. "Calm down mate, I haven't even said anythin' yet! Ya' know that this ain't the first time Frostbite's gone off by himself, yeah?"

North's eyebrows furrowed but he nodded nonetheless. "Even so Bunny, Jack is-"

Bunny sighed, "I know yer worried about him, mate. But Jack's a free spirit. He's also very busy like ya around this time of the year and draggin' him back from wherever he's at, just 'cause ya haven't seen him for a few weeks, can overwhelm the kid. We gotta give him some space."

North frowned and shook his head, not seeing Bunny's point. "But we've given him nothing but space for the past three hundred years, old friend."

Silence.

Bunny opened his mouth to say something but then closed it. As much as he hated to admit it, the old Russian had a point.

After three hundred years of leaving the winter spirit alone, the guardians should be suffocating him with affection and love to make up for their past mistakes! They should be beside him always, spending more time with him, showing him that they _do _and will _always_ care…

But Jack- Jack just wouldn't let them.

When they became too affectionate, or else come too close for comfort, he'd take a step back and give them a defensive smile. He always pulled away from them and before they knew it, the guardian of Fun would disappear for several days, avoiding them, before coming back like nothing happened.

These actions worried North, but for Bunny, it didn't matter.

Jack always, _always_ came back _home _anyway.

And that's what was important.

"WE SAW THE LIGHTS!" A fast travelling, rainbow colored projectile suddenly entered the room as it shouted followed by the familiar golden airplane ridden by none other than the Sandman. "Is there something wrong? Is it North? Oh North, I told you not to work too hard! Now we have to cancel Christmas and-!"

"Whoah! Who said anything about canceling Christmas!" North said waving his arms as the fairy queen flitted around him in nervous panic. "Toothiana I am fine! No need to do something as serious as cancelling Christmas!"

Those words got the guardian of Memories to stop in hesitation. "B-But I don't understand, t-the lights?" They all looked at Sandy who made a question mark in their direction.

"North was just panickin' for no reason again, sheila." Bunny was the one who answered.

"Panicking?" Tooth looked at the old Santa in confusion. "Panicking for what? Do you need help with your gifts? I'm sure Sandy and I can-"

"No, no… It is not gifts… I was merely worried… About Jack…" North answered with a sigh.

"Oh Jack!" Tooth said flitting around again. "It's been such a long time since I saw him! Where is he? Is he here? Does he still floss?"

Sandy made some sand figures that said that he too hadn't seen Jack for awhile. This troubling statement made some animal instincts in Bunny twinge in discomfort. North too, looked shocked that even amongst his fellow guardians, not even one had even seen the harbinger of winter.

"What? You have not seen Jack as well? Has no one seen Jack at all for the past month?" North asked at the three before him.

"I was keepin' track of him just a few weeks ago." Bunny murmured as he ran a paw through his long ears. "He was somewhere in Burgess last I checked."

Meanwhile Tooth and Sandy shook their heads.

"We've been as busy as you North." Tooth stated with a sigh as she patted her feathers on her head. "Something's been happening lately you see. A lot of children around the world are getting kidnapped and my fairies are trying to ease the other children's panic with the teeth."

Sandy nodded vigorously as he made sand illustrations of bringing sweet dreams to the sad and worried children of the world.

"And they are such sweet children too! One even left me a note under her pillow!" Tooth said her violet eyes looking watery. "She said to bring her older brother back, even though he was a naughty kid, she still missed him."

"Children going missing? Why have I not been told of this!" Santa said in exclamation.

"You've been too busy with Christmas, mate. I've tried to help Tooth a few times, bring hope and everythin' ya know, which was why I haven't been able to keep track of our Frosbite for awhile." Bunny stated.

"Even so! I-"

BANG!

"Guwalo! Lufawogo!" A sudden yeti screaming interrupted the conversation as Phil entered the room in panic waving around a thick fat scroll.

"Phil! What have I told you about knocking!" North stated as he turned to the big brown yeti. However before he could say anything more, Phil trusted the scroll into the guardian's hands making several attempts of delaying his frustration in garbled tones.

"What?" North said in confusion as he unrolled the thick scroll a bit. "But this is only the nice list! Where is _naughty_ list?"

The yeti made more distressing sounds and actions and blue eyes widened.

"Naughty list is missing? But it can't be! Who would steal naughty list? Why?" Santa said as he looked at the scroll in his hand.

Phil made more grunting sounds and he held up one furred hand to show the guardians. The paw was black with some sort of soot.

North's eyebrows furrowed. "Coal? Coal was in the room?"

The three guardians behind him exchanged looks.

"Uh, North?" Bunny placed a paw on the Cossack's shoulder and blue eyes suddenly widened as he rewinded the conversation that had been going on so far.

Jack, the children going missing, the naughty list being stolen…

And most importantly, the _coal_.

He turned abruptly to his fellow guardians, his form tensed in panic as placed his hands on Tooth's shoulders. The fairy queen squeaked.

"Quick! Tell me some of the names of the children who had been kidnapped! Tell me now!" North said in obvious panic and worry.

"U-Uhm, there was Jason and Peter and Sasha and Mike…" Tooth began and Bunny picked up for her as he hopped forward.

"Crissy, Mark, and Michael…" Bunny stated and Sandy helpfully joined in as he made figures of bullies in elementary school being kidnapped as well.

North slumped back, letting go of Tooth as he shook his head in disbelief. "It can't be, he _can't_ be back! I am in charge of both naughty and nice now! He is no longer needed!"

"North?" Tooth stated as she flew closer. "He?"

Bunny's green eyes observed his friend's distress sharply. "Do ya' know something we don't, mate? Do ya' know what happened to those children?" _And Jack?_ He added to himself.

Blue eyes looked up tiredly at his old friend's face and even Sandy shifted towards the other, patting the very tired Santa on the shoulder.

"All the children you have mentioned are all in naughty list, last time I checked twice." He said holding up his fingers.

Tooth gasped, her feathers ruffling in worry as she looked at Bunny's panic-stricken face. "You mean all of the kidnapping had a connection? Oh North, why didn't you say sooner!"

"I just realized… I didn't think- didn't assume _he'd_ come back!" North stated shaking his head.

"_He_?" Bunny said catching on and he placed both paws on the old Santa's shoulders. "There's something you're not telling us." Then Bunny's green eyes widened when Santa avoided his gaze. "You _know_ who kidnapped the children."

North nodded his head solemnly.

"Then what are you waiting for, mate! Tell us so we can beat the snot out of him!"

Sandy nodded his head vigorously, punching his small fist in an open hand, trying to convey that whoever that 'he' was, was getting _knocked out_.

North looked up, blue eyes grave as he stared at each of his fellow guardians. "If it is who I think it is, then we are in very grave trouble my friends."

"What?" Tooth asked in confusion. They were the four brave guardians who took down Pitch! Why would they be in trouble? "Who is it?"

"An old…" North winced. "…_acquaintance_."

"What? Who _is _it?" Bunny urged as he felt his fur standing up in worry and his sixth sense called out to him to just get out of there and find whoever that _he _was.

"It's _Krampus_." North said with a hiss and deep anger as all three guardians jumped in surprise at the name. "Krampus is back…" And then grave blue eyes turned to the three frozen guardians.

"And I fear… Jack may be in _danger_."

* * *

"Aw, and ain't this _nice_?" A cold voice rang out through the cold atmosphere of a dark cave far _far_ away.

A teenage boy with pale skin covered in scratches and bruises panted as he stared at the black hooded figure before him. He had his arms extended, his face set into a protective growl as he tried to keep the other away. Whimpers could be heard behind him, children crying and looking around in panic.

"Get away from them." There was malice in his voice. The tone was as cold as ice but too soft to be an actual threat.

"Yew are a strange boy." The hooded creature stated as he took one step forward and the teen picked up a rock in cases he got any closer. "Clearly them kids can't see ya…" And the teen flinched as an old wound in his heart made itself known. "But yew are protectin 'em anyways." A clawed hand reached out towards the pale teen and said teen tried to jump back- but the claws were sharp and got caught in his hoodie instead.

Another claw reached out and scraped itself onto the pale face, eliciting a pained scream from the one before him. "Is this what a guardian is bein' about? Givin' yewr lives to a bunch of ungrateful rugrats?"

"T-They…" The teen panted. "Aren't _rugrats_! They're children! And they're innocent! Let them go!"

"Oh I don't think so…" The rough voice crooned and the teen muffled his screams as the claw dug deeper into his skin. "Ya' see this is my _job_. I've been neglectin' them kids for so long… I think they deserve more than a few coals don't yew think?"

Blue eyes widened in panic. "What are you-?" But then a terrifying face suddenly neared his and the pale victim was barely able to swallow back the scream of panic building up in his throat as he saw the most terrifying face reveal itself.

"Now why don't we start with the one on _top_ of the list, eh?" A dark cackle was followed by those words and the teen suppressed the urge to shiver. "I hope yewr ready, dear _naughty_ Jack Frost."

A terrifying _scream_, like winds howling in the night, followed those words.

* * *

**Notes: **Finally! I'm sorry I had no time to check if everything is in place and alright! I have school and I'm in a hurry so yeah, sorry for any mistakes! There's still a part two to this which will be updated next. I was gonna update yesterday but I was celebrating my birthday (haha I'm old now and at least I don't have to feel guilty with all the 'Yes, I am at least 18 years old' thing in dreamwidth, safely arrived at the age of eighteen! Yey!) and exams are next week so I will try to squeeze the second part in soon!

So here it is, **hisokauzumaki**! I hope it is to your liking, it had too many details at the beginning, so sorry about that! And I also added a bonus of Jack protecting children while he himself was imprisoned since that would be so cute and everything! XD

I'll edit this when I have time! Thanks! Please read and review!

(I'll answer the reviews next chapter 'cause I really have to get going to school!)


	11. A Promise to Keep

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary:** Bunny has failed Jack so many times before, that's why he's determined to keep this one promise between them. Jack may only see him and the others as friends, but one day, the winter sprite will trust them enough to call them 'family'.

_A small bonus scene, set before 'Krampus'._

**A Promise to Keep**

"G'day, mate." Startling blue eyes looked up into green ones as a certain six-foot-one rabbit hopped towards the ledge of the frosted open window. The pooka could see that the youngest guardian's hood was up. An action the winter spirit usually did when he was grieving, or thinking…

…or when he wanted to hide himself from the world for a while.

"Oh." A breath of relief and exasperation made Easter rabbit's ear twitch. "Hey Bunny." The teasing tone was there, almost light and nonchalant- but Bunny brushed that thought away when he saw the distant look in the darkening blue eyes.

Sighing, the Easter kangaroo- _rabbit_ flopped down beside Jack, startling him in and making him jump and his hood fall off in the process.

"Wha-?"

"What's on yer mind?" Bunny interrupted, crossing his arms, a position that was meant to tell the young spirit that he was dead set to remain by the other's side unless he opened his trap and started talking.

But Jack was being difficult it seemed, or rather he was not expecting such a question because all that came out of his mouth was an unintelligible, "Huh?"

"I asked, what's on your mind, ya' galah…" Bunny said in a drawling voice as he untangled one arm from its cross position to ruffle the snow white hair. Jack flinched and almost did not allow the contact to happen, but Bunny was persistent and successfully caught the other as he affectionately mussed up the ice cold hair. The guardian of joy allowed the contact to happen for a few moments, his shoulders relaxing, before he swatted away the older guardian's paw with an awkward laugh.

Bunny huffed and allowed his paw to be pushed away before settling back into his original position. "So, ya' gonna tell me what's buzzin' in tha' head of yers?"

Blue eyes met green ones again as Jack fiddled with his staff, itching to pull up his hood once more. "Nothing, just- just eighteen year old stuff." Jack said shrugging it off but his expression said otherwise.

Bunny, meanwhile, raised an eyebrow at that statement. "Yer three hundred and eighteen." He pointed out blankly.

Jack gave the other a sarcastic eye roll. "I'm _sorry_, do I look like I'm three hundred and eighteen to you? I think I'm more than qualified to say that I think about eighteen-year-old stuff since, _hello_, immortal and forever a kid. Besides, saying my full age is a mouthful."

Bunny's eye twitched at the Jack-like reply and he fought off the urge to smile at the usual snarky statement. He steered the conversation back to the original topic, ignoring the open invitation to have the usual banter. "So, _eighteen_ year old stuff…" He said, humoring the winter sprite. "What sort of 'stuff' are we talkin' about?"

Eighteen year olds were fresh adults. Parents have trouble understanding such free-spirited, independent individuals. And Bunny knew that their mental structures were like a dam in verge of collapse. Hormones were high, emotional stages at its peak…

The pooka was young once, so he _knew_.

Eighteen was the magic age were reality and fantasy were battling it out. Let's just say that the ideas and thoughts in an adult-slash-kid's mind were often not the sanest of thoughts.

At those words, Jack sombered up. The light in his eyes dimming as he pursed his lips. "Well, you know… The usual _depressing_ eighteen-year-old kind of stuff…" He said as he casually waved a hand.

But Bunny did not miss the warning in the tone.

Jack had been alone for three hundred years. What he did to keep himself sane throughout those lonely days when no one could see him, was beyond Bunny. He might've kept himself busy, throwing himself into work like Bunny, who had lost all of his family and threw himself into making the kids happy instead.

But Bunny could be _seen_, could be _appreciated_.

And at the end of every Easter, the pooka was always left with the warm feeling of hope from his believers in every part of the globe, the feeling of hope radiating from every individual from all his hard work.

And for awhile, the believers, the _hope_, made that lonely feeling go away.

And the sentinels, the eggs, North, Tooth, and Sandy were always there to cheer him up when he was in his depressed days, when months rolled by before the next Easter…

But Jack?

Jack who wasn't _believed_ in, wasn't _seen_, was _ignored_, was _hurt_, and was so_ so_ alone.

Who did Jack turn to in the coldest of nights, trapped by darkness and nightmares?

Who comforted Jack when a kid or two ran through him and reminded him bitterly that not one of the ankle bitters he _loved_ and _protected_ could see him?

Who gave Jack the feeling of belonging and being loved and being part of a _family_?

For three hundred years…? No one.

Not Man in the Moon, not any of the other spirits, not the kids, and especially, _not them_ not the guardians.

And Bunny only shuddered to think of what Jack had- could _have_ possibly done to fill that void of loneliness for three hundred years.

"Depressing…" Bunny mouthed the words before he cleared his throat, hoping Jack did not see him shudder or hesitate. "Tell me." The tone was forceful but soft, encouraging even.

But Jack didn't say anything. Instead he looked at the pooka with startled and guarded, blue eyes. "Really? You want to hear me, _Jack Frost_, the most annoying teenager in the planet, complain? Are you alright Kangaroo? Did you drink one too many eggnogs?" And Jack laughed.

It was a brittle sound, filled with nonexistent humor and self hatred. And soon, it died down and Jack looked down at his feet refusing to meet green eyes any longer.

But Bunny was patient. He had been nothing but short tempered with Jack ever since he met him and the humanoid rabbit decided to give Jack the benefit of the doubt this time. He knew better now. He knew that being rash and angry with the other did not get him quicker results. It only deepened the problem. That's why for once, he'll hear the other out with patience rather than his usual hot-headed banters.

"Tell me." E. Aster Bunnymund said in a silent tone that left no room for arguments. And Jack opened his mouth, unwillingly looking up to say something but he closed his mouth when he saw the serious green eyes again.

Then there was silence.

Scowling, Jack looked back down again, finding that he could not level his eyes with such an earnest stare. "It's just some old thoughts, _really_, no big deal, Cottontail."

Bunny grunted, not believing him for one second. "If it ain't a big deal, mate, then why not tell me? I don't mind hearing yer thoughts."

And Jack clamped his mouth shut as he realized that no excuses would get Bunny to stand up and leave him alone.

Silence descended upon them once more, broken only by the soft thumping of Bunny's foot as the other waited for the teenager to speak again.

And true enough, the pooka did not wait long as Jack said in a rough voice. "…hey Bunny?"

The rabbit raised an eyebrow at the change of tone, but he answered in a soft tone. "Yeah? What is it Frostbite?"

"We…" Jack sighed and he drummed his fingers lightly on his staff, shoulders set stiffly. "We're friends right? You and I?"

And that statement struck Bunny more than Jack would ever realize.

Friends. _Friends_.

Jack was _asking_ if they were _friends_.

Like… Like you have to ask that sort of thing!

As though all the friendly banters, and squabbles, and nickname-calling didn't indicate otherwise!

As if he wasn't sure- or as if he didn't know that they were!

And Bunny, for all the life in him, opened his mouth, his eyes flashing.

_Friends? _He wanted to say. _Friends, Frostbite? I think 'family's the right word yer lookin' for mate._

And it was.

Because he, Tooth, North, Sandy, and _Jack_ were _family_.

They weren't. Not before they met Jack.

But they were _now_.

And Jack should see that! Because everyone could see it! North saw it! Tooth saw it! Sandy saw it! Heck, even the elves and the yetis saw it!

And Bunny, although it took some time, saw that they _were_ inevitably a family.

And Jack must've known that too. He _should_ know that too.

But the stiff set of the shoulders said otherwise. The downcast blue eyes, the frost-spreading fingertips icing the worn wood of the conduit of the winter child's power indicated that Jack hadn't even thought of _family_.

That Jack thought of them as nothing but merely comrades, associates…

… and that being _friends_ was nothing short of a miracle.

"Jack." And the blue eyes filled with fear of rejection and wary undid Bunny for a moment. And the old pooka knew that whatever he was about to say, Jack was not ready to hear it…

…not yet, anyway.

"I- Yeah." Bunny said as he reached out a paw and flinched at the almost piercing defensive coldness coming off of the other. "Yeah, we're friends."

And someday, maybe when Jack was more trusting and less scared, Bunny could say those words.

That they were a _family_.

And that they would_ always_ be a family.

But for now, the happy light filling those cerulean orbs was enough. The sound thought that Jack _at least_ knew that they were friends, would be _enough_.

"So, about that depressing stuff…" The old warrior said as he retreated back to his spot. "Lay it on me then, snowflake."

Jack frowned at the other but the pooka was pleased to see that the other was only a little bit wary now. The ice elemental cleared his throat as he put down his stuff self-consciously. "Well, I uhm, it's a really stupid thought but…"

Bunny stayed silent as he waited for Jack to explain himself. Blue eyes were distant again, looking out of the window as though they were seeing things that Bunny could not see.

"I was just thinking about- about before, you know, before… I met you guys." Jack said awkwardly and the rabbit tensed as they began talking about three hundred years of solitude that the pooka knew nothing about. "I had a rough run in with one of the holiday spirits… Don't remember which one it was… What's-his-face-guy or something…" Jack mumbled, his eyebrows crinkling in remembrance.

"So yeah, anyway, we got into a spat. And I was new with my powers and everything so he got the upper hand and-" Jack sighed as Bunny fought the crazy protective urge in him to suddenly check to see if Jack was alright, looking for centuries old bruises that shouldn't be there. "Well, the physical hits hurt like heck but what really got to me were the things he were saying."

* * *

"_You aren't worth anybody's time!"_

"_If you disappear, no one would care!"_

"_I could kidnap you and hold you somewhere and no one, will _ever, _come looking for you,"_

"_If anything happened to you, I bet not even the moon would cry for someone so useless."_

* * *

And all the Easter rabbit could do was sit there, slack jawed as Jack mimicked a century old conversation with a nameless and faceless spirit he could hardly remember.

And the worst part about it was the mimicking voice Jack used as he said those harsh words with his slightly shaking mouth. The tone was high and brittle but also bitter and exasperated.

As though he had heard it a million times over.

As though he had his dreams, his _hope_ crushed a million times again and again by the same words for three centuries.

As though he had long ago accepted that what they said was a fact, an unavoidable truth Jack could never change.

And then suddenly, all Bunny could see was red.

He would've bolted then and there if not for Jack. Raced out of the workshop and hunted every single spirit that ever said such harsh words to their youngest member and make them apologize.

Eventually, he'll get to the part about telling Tooth and the others, but Bunny thinks that Jack would appreciate the apologies more if none of the spirits', who had done him wrong, teeth were missing.

But Bunny never did get to do that, because Jack had started talking again, distracting him from his furious thoughts about mistreatment and apologies…

…and guilt for not being there for Jack sooner.

"So I remembered that scene again…" Jack started up, unaware of Bunny's turmoil. "And since I have you guys now, I was just wondering… if- if anything happened to me." A deep breath as Jack continued. "W-Would you-?"

"No." The tone was hard, clipped, and there was a hint of anger in it as well.

Jack looked like he had been slapped as he looked at Bunny. "What?"

"Nothing, is going to happen to ya'." Bunny said and it took two minutes for Jack to stop shaking and realize that Bunny wasn't confirming his worst fears of rejection and abandonment.

"You-"

"We won't let _anythin'_ happen to ya', mate." And Bunny placed both paws, strong and firm, on Jack's thin shoulders. Shoulders that had carried solitude for so long, that it felt so brittle and fragile and cold under the warmth of Bunny's rough pads.

"But-" And Jack looked lost for a moment, blue eyes darting sideward as though expecting someone to jump out and tell him Bunny was joking. "I-"

"Trust me, trust _us_… We're…" _Yer family_, Bunny wanted to say but he shook his head and swallowed the lump forming in his throat. "Yer important to us, mate. If we don't see ya' often.. I-It won't be the same and-"

_And don't ever think that you aren't worth anyone's time, again._

_If you _do_ disappear… _Bunny shuddered because he _will not_ think about a world without Jack Frost, a world without mischief and fun times and joy. _We'll do everythin'… _everythin'_ in our powers ta get ya' back._

_And if so Manny help me, somebody takes ya' away from us_ , Bunny's eyes were dark green with seriousness as Jack looked at him, speechless._ We'll hunt him down to the ends of the earth just to get ya' back._

"-And we're yer friends, snowflake." Bunny's soft tone was a startling contrast to his emotional thoughts and turmoil. His paw was raised again, setting unto the stiff set of shoulders. Jack has yet to say anything but Bunny knew that the kid was only feeling overwhelmed. "Yer friends…" Because they didn't have the right to be called family, not _yet_ anyway. "And ya' can count on us getting ya' out of any sticky situation ya' find your hide* stuck in."

Jack still didn't say anything, mouth opening and closing unable to form words and Bunny took advantage of the silence a little longer as he placed a paw on the snow white hair. "And we will protect ya', I swear on the Moon we will."

And they will. They always will protect him.

Now if only Jack could believe that too.

Blue eyes were uncertain and Bunny flinched as he saw the emotions weighing down behind those centuries old eyes.

Trust was a brittle thing and it was now being weighed through three hundred years of isolation and pain, and _no one ever seeing Jack_.

Even though it was a losing battle, and Jack had every _right_ not to trust Bunny's words, the guardian of _Hope_ gazed earnestly into blue eyes, stare confident and not wavering for even a second.

Sincerity was the least he could offer after all.

And then Jack closed his eyes, turning his face down and Bunny's eyes widened in disbelief and hopelessness for a second-

"Okay."

-before it was lighting up at the word.

"What?" Bunny stated, not because he hadn't heard but because he couldn't believe what the boy said.

Blue eyes looked up. There was still fear in them. Fear of being left behind, of being invisible again…

…of being given everything he could have ever wanted only to be cruelly taken away at the last minute.

"I said 'okay'." Jack sighed and his lips twisted up in a humorless smirk. "Maybe you have to get your ears cleaned cottontail. I'm starting to think those are just for show."

"Don't mock the ears, mate." Bunny grumbled but then his tone softened at the end as he squeezed Jack's shoulder before letting go. "Thanks."

The pale face of the boy before him looked on in curiosity. "Thanks for what?"

_For telling me this, for believing in us, for not running away and hating us like ya' should._

But instead of saying that, Bunny shrugged. "Just thanks." He had a bad habit of not saying the things that should be said. But Bunny had to tread carefully around this land mine called Jack Frost. If he pushed too much Jack could get frightened. That's why he'll keep the affection and words to a minimum, to a level that Jack wouldn't be overwhelmed.

"Okay, whatever you say kangaroo." Jack said shrugging, expression morphing back into its normal mask as he jumped up, letting him jump over the pooka. He twirled his shepherd's staff as he headed to the door, unmindful of the green eyes staring at his back. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go and prank Phil. The big grump needs something cold splashed at his face, if you know what I mean." The sprite said laughing as he winked at Bunny.

The older guardian just shook his head at the other's antics, watching as the youngest went off to do his job. However, just as Jack was by the door, he hesitated and looked back at Bunny over his shoulder.

"And uhm…" Jack scratched the back of his neck, looking down at the floor uncertainly. "You're welcome… and," Jack sighed as he looked up and smiled. "Thanks too." He shifted uncomfortably. "You know, f-for being there… and listening."

Bunnymund froze as he saw the fragile but grateful smile on the other's face. It was the first time he'd seen such an innocent look on the imp's face. Seeing the other without the usual smirks and mischievous smile was like seeing the sun rise on a winter day. It was bright and refreshing, and idly the old warrior wondered if Jack had ever smiled like that even once in his three hundred years.

"I- Yeah." Bunny sighed as he fought off the maternal rabbit instinct in him that urged him to go up to the annoying teen and just give a good, old, big hug. "Yeah, yer welcome. Anytime."

And then the expression was gone, replaced by the usual mischievous smirk before Jack flew away, looking for the yeti he fondly nicknamed Phil.

Bunny sat beside the open window for a few seconds before a soft wind blew and he shivered. He stood up, opting to go and warm-up. But then a sudden flurry of snowflakes blew in and he was distracted as one particular snowflake made its way towards him. He caught it between his paws looking at it, before closing his paws over it and hopping away from the window.

Bunny owed Jack something more than a promise and a hug. And hopefully he'd be able to pay the other back when the teen finally started seeing all of them as a family.

And maybe when they _do_ become a family in Jack's eyes, and when the other wasn't so touchy-feely anymore…

Maybe ol' Bunny could give him a hug or two.

Or three hundred, if the sprite would allow it.

One for each year he'd been alone, and an infinite number of hugs…

…For the following eternity that he'd never be alone again.

* * *

**Notes: *hide** -butt

I'm back from one week worth of exams and a day of partying (courtesy of the important birthday tradition thing going on a week after my actual birth)! Now it's time to focus on the qualis exams, so please pray for me and my success at becoming a first taker.

So **hisokauzumaki**, I hope you don't mind me running along with this idea. I thought it'd be nice if there was a small promise made between Bunny and Jack before they go rescue him. A promise always spiced things up between characters and make everything seem more tragic. I mean, if it's okay?

Now to the three reviewers of chapter ten! Congrats:

**Jesters of the Moon**, **summerbreezeplease**, and** vixster2492**!

The last two reviewers have already sent their requests and I'm already working on each. The first reviewer, meanwhile, still has yet to reply XD

The next requester will be the 450th reviewer XD It'll be quite awhile before that, but I can dream XD. And the next three requestors will be decided on the eighteenth chapter (because tadaa! I'm eighteen!), so good luck :D

Also, I know I said I'm gonna reply to reviews here but my eyes are drooping even while I'm typing this. It's a miracle I was able to write anything. But give me time, and tomorrow (maybe) the second part of Krampus will be updated before I turn back to my next exams.

If I'm forgetting anything I'll deal with it tomorrow (because man, I'm sleepy. Three days of not sleeping does that to you- did I spell does right?-uber dizzy ).

So until next time guys! (Which is hopefully tomorrow) Please review if it isn't a hassle.

Sorry for any errors, sleepy to the core!


	12. Krampus 2

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **Jack will protect them no doubt. But who will protect him in return?

**Krampus 2**

The snow wasn't falling as hard as Jamie wanted it to.

He had been excited the moment he woke up, eagerly rushing to the window to see how much snow Jack left for today and wondering how long their classes were going to be suspended because of it. However, instead of blankets of white snow covering every layer the young Bennett could see, he woke up instead to a light snowfall, not strong enough to cancel classes and not fast enough to bury their backyard in at least a feet of snow.

It was strange.

Burgess was known for having out of season snowfalls and for having the most snow days. The fact that it was _two weeks _before Christmas and a _snow day _has yet to come was more than a little worrying, especially for Jamie who knew of a certain winter guardian that promised them a _very_ white Christmas.

"Jamie? Honey, are you up yet?" His mom called from downstairs, the young boy immediately clambered down from the window ledge.

"Yeah mom!"

"Oh good, come down and eat your breakfast! And can you take Abby out for a walk afterwards? I have to go out for a quick errand." Mrs. Bennett said as Jamie rushed down the stairs in his pyjamas.

"Right now?" He asked when he hopped off the last few steps and ran to the kitchen where his mother was sliding him a plate of waffles. "Can't it wait until later?"

"It could, but Abby's been really jumpy lately." She said gesturing to the dog who was pawing the backdoor whimpering. "She wants to get out as soon as possible."

Looking at their greyhound, Jamie did notice that the dog seemed more anxious and in hopes to pacify her sooner, he dug into his waffles quickly before he took a shower and got changed.

Twenty minutes later, the oldest Bennett child was opening the door, a leash on his hand as Abby nearly stumbled on herself to rush outside.

"Whoah! Easy there Abby!" Jamie laughed as he ran after their pet. The mighty animal took three leaps, easily crossing the three feet distance in the Bennett yard before she abruptly stopped. Jamie jogged after her, curious as to why she suddenly settled down.

"Abby?" The last light called out as the dog sniffed the snow and pawed on it anxiously. Jamie looked down at the snow as well and sighed.

"Yeah, Jack hasn't come to see us yet I guess. I mean its two weeks before Christmas! The whole place should be filled with two feet of snow or something!" And Jamie bent down as he scooped some of the white stuff scattered on the yard. "I mean look at this? It's a mixture of brown and white and it's not even a decent snowball!"

Abby ignored Jamie's rantings as she pawed on the ground again and sniffed it. She carefully walked around, her nose pressed up against the barely snow covered yard.

"Abby, are you listening?" Jamie said as he turned around but he raised an eyebrow when he saw the dog sniffing about and sighed. "Did you lose some sort of buried bone or something?" He asked.

Just as he said that, Abby sneezed and looked up barking. Jamie walked up to her. It looked like she found whatever bone she's buried.

The dog herself began to paw out whatever she's found, and because the snow was too thin to cover the ground it wasn't long before whatever she found finally surfaced. Jamie reached out a hand as the head of something familiar came to view.

"What do we have here?" He murmured as he pulled the object out with one, _great_, pull!

"Ugh!" Jamie landed on his back roughly as he finally got the object out. Sighing he sat up and rubbed his head before he looked down to see what it was.

The young Bennett's hold on the _staff_ nearly slackened when he realized what it was he had on his hand.

It wasn't just any random old stick stuck on the snow, oh no… It was a familiar item carried only by one person he knew, the same person that has yet to bring them the promised snow days, said person had also admitted to being nearly powerless without the item and said person could only be in trouble if the conduit of his power was here.

"J-J-Ja-Jack's…" Jamie's lips began to tremble as Abby growled, sensing how dangerous it is that that stick was _here_ of all places.

_Jack's staff._ Gulping, Jamie looked around waving it around. "Jack? Jack are you here? Jack this isn't funny!"

_Jack please be alright!_ Jamie silently prayed as he looked around hoping to spot the winter spirit and hoping even more that he only _dropped _his staff accidentally.

Tears began to gather in Jamie's eyes as he remembered that the staff was buried under the blanket of snow and Jack would've gone taken by now if he only dropped it. Shaking in fear and worry, Jamie plomped down the middle of their yard in defeat, Abby whimpered as she approached the boy and licked him on the face.

"Jack… Where could Jack be…?" Jamie whispered to himself, confused, stunned and worried. "Do the others know? Is Jack sick? He can't be apart from his staff for long right? I mean- What do we do Abby?" He buried his face in his hands.

The Bennett pet let out a bark as she prodded the child with her nose. The last light gave her an incredulous look before he got what she was saying. Jumping up in excitement, the youngest Bennett turned to his pet, grinning.

"You think the mini tooth fairies will come here even if it isn't night?" The greyhound barked again as Jamie turned and rushed inside the house.

Time to see if that string-tied-to-the-doorknob-trick works.

* * *

"In… _danger_…" Bunnymund repeated before he abruptly turned to North who was looking down. "Whaddya mean in danger? We're talking about the kids and suddenly ya'-!" Bunny took a deep breath as he ran a paw through his long ears. "-Yer talkin' about _Jack_ being in danger! Are ya' tryin' to give us a heart attack or somethin'?"

"North what do you mean by Jack being in danger? I mean, if I got it right… Krampus is the one who's been kidnapping the children right?" Tooth asked nervously and North nodded. "So what's this got to do with Jack?"

Sandy floated around the room, thinking, before suddenly a light bulb formed on his head. Bunny and Tooth looked at the guardian of dreams as he formed a scroll with his sand and a snowflake. Afterwards the word _naughty_ appeared, a plus sign, and then a snowflake again. The three images disappeared and was replaced by an image of North talking…

"_Ha! On naughty list? You hold record!" _Bunny and Tooth jumped as North's actual voice came through but it sounded wrong. They turned and saw that North actually spoke, a reminiscing tone in his voice.

"Jack is on top of the naughty list. Jack has been missing for a few weeks. All children who have been kidnapped are from naughty list." North said as he placed a hand on his forehead. "It is not hard to put two and two together."

"Krampus, Krampus… Are ya' talkin' about the crazy bloke who whipped naughty children and wanted to stuff them in sacks and take them away?" Bunny asked, and North nodded. Tooth let out a startled gasp and the guardian of hope and wonder turned just in time to see Sandy make a sand illustration of Jack being stuffed into a sack held by an ugly creature with horns.

"Are you- Are you saying that Krampus took Jack? That he took our sweet tooth?" Toothiana asked fluttering about her feather ruffled in absolute worry and fear. "We have to go! We have to go and rescue those poor children and Jack! Oh Jack! We should've paid more attention to Jack and-!"

"Crikey, calm down sheila!" Bunny said as he hopped towards the tooth fairy. "We're still not sure if Jack's been taken by tha' loony! I'll track our snowflake in a jiff, he could still be spreadin' some snow somewhere in Burgess for all we know. We can't jump into conclusions."

"Bunny…" Tooth said as she finally calmed down enough to land on the ground. She swallowed back her worry and nodded as Bunny patted her on the shoulder.

Sandy made a tough face as he made a war helmet out of sand and put it on his head. He gestures with his hands that they should split up.

"Yes, Sandy is right!" North said as he stood up, regaining himself although still looking a bit tired. "We must split up. Bunny you go and look for Jack while Tooth, Sandy, and I-"

"Oh no, not on yer nelly, mate." Bunnymund said as he turned to the old Cossack. The old Santa raised an eyebrow but stepped back when the Easter rabbit poked him on the stomach as he talked. "Ya' are gonna stay here and finish all Christmas preparations for them kids. The little ankle biters need Christmas more than ever and I won't allow you to skip on yer holiday! Let _us_ handle everythin'."

North's eyes widened. "Bunny."

Tooth smiled and nodded as she flew over to North's side and placed a delicate hand on his shoulder. "Bunny's right North. You have to stay here and do your job. We can handle the rest."

Sandy nodded eagerly as he made a punching motion with his small fists.

The old man Christmas smiled before he let out a jolly laugh. "Ah, yes! I will leave it to you my friends! I will handle the job of bringing wonder to children so they have an easier time, no?"

Satisfied, Bunny began to back up. He was about to turn around and say goodbye to the others before leaving to track down their Frostbite when all of a sudden…

WHAM!

The four guardians jumped as the door to the globe room opened again. Phil who was still in the room with them, turned as well to see another yeti rushing in, waving his arms in the air in more panic than Phil.

"What is the matter now?" North asked in a booming voice but then Tooth looked up when she heard high-pitched chirping sounds.

"Baby Tooth?" She called out as she flew forward and sure enough she saw the small fairy but she wasn't looking at her queen, instead she seemed to be directing other mini fairies who were carrying-

"Oh!" Tooth let out a horrified gasp as she rushed to her fairies immediately. Bunny, who was in the action of thumping his feet on the ground, felt his blood run cold as he saw what they were carrying and Sandy began to panic, waving a large sand flag around.

"That is-! It can't be-!" North let out in a choked tone as he approached the mini fairies as well. He held out his large hands and the small versions of Tooth eagerly let go of their package.

_Jack's staff_ landed on North's hands looking so dull and fragile as it rolled on his palms.

"That's Jack's-!" Tooth let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Oh Jack!" And Tooth landed onto the floor in a self-defeated kneel as she covered her face, shoulders heaving in worry.

"Frostbite…" Bunny's ears fell back and all hopes that the youngest guardian was only causing more mischief in some part of the world was gone as he saw the lifeless shepherd crook on North's barely shaking hands.

"He has been taken." North said as he closed his eyes and his mouth was set in an angry frown as he put down Jack's staff. "We have no choice now but to go together to find Krampus. That _ublyudok_ will not see what is coming!"

Phil made a frantic noise, probably something about the preparations but Santa waved a beefy hand.

"Bah! It can wait! For now we go rescue children!" He said in a tone that left no arguments. He passed by Tooth and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Tooth, we need you to save Jack and children, you must stay strong."

Hard amethyst eyes looked back up at North as the queen warrior nodded and rose up. "You can count on me North. We're getting the children and our Jack back."

Sandy nodded vigorously a warrior's expression on his face as he floated after the two.

"Phil, Ed! Prepare the sleigh!" North said and the two yetis rushed out to do as ordered. The Cossack was about to exit out of the door to grab his coat when he noticed one guardian not following. "Bunny, what are you waiting for? Christmas? Let us go!"

Bunny looked up and nodded as he hopped towards North and the others but then he paused when he reached Jack's staff. He took the fragile stick in his hand, turning it over.

_If- If anything happened to me… Would you-?_

_No._ Bunny closed his green eyes as he remembered a conversation not so long ago. _Nothing, is goin' to happen to ya'. We won't let _anythin'_ happen to ya' mate._

_We'll protect ya', I swear on the Moon we will._

"I swear on the moon…" Bunny whispered as he hopped towards the direction North and the others went, face set into a determined expression. "We'll get ya' back snowflake."

_Wait for us._

* * *

Meanwhile, in a dark cave far from human ears and eyes, a boy with hair as white as snow and skin as pale as the moon on a dark night let out a shaky breath as he stood up again, while a dark shadowed loomed over him and the crying children he protected.

Bleeding lips formed a word as the young teen coughed and his body spasmed in pain.

"_Hurry._"

* * *

**Notes: **Okay, so a few reviewers asked why Jack was still on the naughty list, that'll _hopefully _be explained in the next chapter.

So I have to get to class again and I just rushed this, didn't even check if everything's alright or understandable but I hope it is and yeah, I owe you guys.

When will be my next update? I am still not sure because I have a research paper due on Easter Sunday and yeah the exams that will determine my life! This was supposed to be only two chapters long but from how things are going it looks like it'll be at least four chapters long and I hope **hisokauzumaki **doesn't mind it!

So yes, review replies, I don't know when I can finally get to that! I always seem to be rushing!

While I was writing this I began thinking if Jamie's mom can see the staff? And I wonder if Jack would take off his clothes will anyone see it? And if they will, then how does that explain no one seeing a floating staff and clothes running about with the children? Just my random thought.

Hope you guys like this!

I hope I'll be able to update soon but you know, _exam _(again)!

Thanks and love lots!

Please review because reviews tempt me to update!

**P.S. **I wish I was more creative with the titles XD


	13. Krampus 3

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **They will come, they _will_ come. Jack knew they will come. Because Bunny promised him they would. They were friends, Bunny said. He was important, the pooka reminded him. And Jack believed in Bunny, believed in the guardians. They will come. They _will_. He just hoped that they wouldn't come too late.

**Krampus 3**

It was cold, _cold_, so _so _cold and so, _so _dark. And they just wanted to go _home_.

Back to their families, to be told off by their mothers, to be laughed at and lightly scolded by their fathers. They wanted to see the warm fire burning by their fire place, the blinking lights of their Christmas trees, the soft snow outside of their windows promising them to wake up to another white Christmas.

They wanted to go home. _Home, _where they were safe, where there were no flickering shadows or howling winds…

They didn't want to hear anymore of the strange cries and screams that sounded oddly human, nor did they want to hear the branches scratching against the caves, sounding strangely like a cackle from an age-old villain.

They wanted to go _home_. They were tired of covering their ears, of closing their eyes, of feeling so frightened, and so scared and so small which was strange and foreign since _they_ were usually the big bullies, towering over small children, laughing, as big, strong adults fell for their pranks.

They were tired and hungry, and the wind was harsh and cold and nipping at their skins, and the dark black stuff on the ground… why, _why? Why did it look so much like blood-?_

No! No! They were going to cover their eyes, they're going to cover the ears!

The wind sounded like it was crying again and the branches scratching outside sounded more and more alive and it frightened them.

They didn't know _how_, they didn't know_ why_ they got here, but if it was because they laughed and teased their siblings, or because they lied and said they didn't eat the last cookie, or because they placed glue on their teacher's chair… then-then they will change! They _swear_ they will change!

_We will change! We will change!_

_We won't be naughty kids anymore! We'll say 'thank you' and 'please'!_

_Just please let the wind stop crying! Let the strange laughter stop echoing!_

_We won't be naughty anymore! We'll be good kids we swear!_

_Just please, _please…

_Save us! _Help _us!_

_And let us go _home_…_

* * *

The sounds sliced at his heart, the whimpers were tearing him apart. The winds were around him, howling protectively but unable to do anything without his staff in check .But Jack appreciated it either way. He couldn't have lasted this long without the winds beside him, crying for him, comforting him with its weakened breeze and encouraging cries.

Behind him, the kids cried louder, while some huddled closer to the others around them. Their terror was like a hole in his heart. The lack of joy and happiness made him feel weak and he stumbled slightly, wanting to reach out, to _comfort…_

But then the kid nearest to him, flinched at the cold he brought, and Jack retracted as though he'd been slapped.

"I 'ave to admit, I'm impressed with yew little guardian." Jack flinched as he looked up, automatically taking a defensive stance. The dark-hooded myth he had been with for the last two weeks greeted him, rotted teeth and distorted face and all, raising a clawed hand as though looking at it with great interest. "No believers in any of 'em kids here, yet you still fight. "

"Look, old goat man…" Jack hissed, voice hoarse from two weeks of screaming, limbs numb and barely moving, lips cracked and slightly bleeding. "I don't know if you have a grudge against me or the guardians, but leave the kids _out_ of this."

The old goat man snorted at the ridiculous statement as he raised his claws and whip.

Blue eyes widened as Jack's instinct shouted at him to move away, to jump to the other side, _away_ from the painful sting that had already become too familiar… But-

"ARGH!" Another pained scream barely muffled by him escaped and the wind raged and roared and the kids' crying grew louder, feeling the coldness seeping into their clothes.

Jack couldn't move away, he _couldn't_. He _wouldn't_ and he didn't even _try_.

Because if he did, the kids would get hurt instead.

And Jack, for the life of him, didn't even care if his body was littered with so many bruises that his skin looked more purple than pale, that his favorite hoodie and pants were torn and tainted by a hundred or more bloody scratches, that his legs were shaking, hands balling into painful fists, biting his lips trying hard not to let another grunt of pain escape him.

He was powerless.

He was in a place with nothing but darkness, no joy coming from the children, his few believers thousands and thousands of miles away.

His staff wasn't here, his powers weren't working right. The sadness and pain the children emanated was like a blow to him, it felt like a large black hole was forming in his heart threatening to engulf him, to crush his center of _Fun_ and _Joy._

He had _tried_. He had done everything he could to coax the children to play while the goat person before him was away. He had made a hopscotch court with his shaking fingers and a rock he found nearby. But the children got scared and tried to shrink away further from the strange markings made by an invisible hand.

Their fear _hurt_ Jack. They _feared_ him and _rejected_ his presence and _wished_ he was gone.

And Jack, so injured, Jack who was away from his element, away from his believers, his friends… All he could do was lie there and will the wind away from the already too cold children, who were trying to get away from the coldness. _His_ coldness, _his_ wind.

And Jack just lied there, his body trying to mend itself but not quite fixing the injuries. The guardian of Fun was lucky though, that he was able to recover shortly in those gratifying moments when the strange goat kidnapper would leave. But then when the Krampus would come back with new kids in his sack, Jack would curse himself for being weak.

If only he _could_ put a stop to this man! If only he _could_ fly out of there and beat him to a pulp like a guardian should!

But Jack couldn't leave the kids alone.

What if another danger was lurking unseen? And it's not like Jack could just leave whenever he liked. No staff in sight and a somewhat tired and worn body to boot. He could only do so much in his situation. He had to protect them! He could only rely on the other guardians in preventing the other kids from being kidnapped.

The guardians.

It has been a few weeks now. He wondered if they had noticed he was gone yet. North was busy no doubt. Christmas was around the corner. The preparations for the toys and the conflicted schedules were enough to keep the old man hectic for a month. And Tooth and Sandy were no better, having to work day and night delivering coins to the kids who lost their teeth and dreams to those who sleep. And Bunny was the only one in his off season, but the guardian of Hope had started helping Tooth and Sandy with their jobs recently. Hopping around the continent, delivering coins to the toothless little buggers and spreading sand to the hard to reach nooks in Asian countries.

Sometimes, when the pooka would go on an off day, he would travel the globe searching for new flowers or looking and naming colors that would one way or another help him in the future to create explicit designs for his googies.

And with that thought in mind, the guardians practically have no time to check up on him. Now that Jack thought about it, he wondered if the guardians would _ever_ notice his absence.

For all they know, he could be busy spreading winter cheer throughout the globe, or else fooling around in Burgess with Jamie.

But surely, _surely_ they would notice the worldwide kidnapping of little kids? If there was one thing Jack knew, it was that the guardians took their job seriously, and the fact that Jack would _not _show up when they spread the aurora across the skies would hopefully, _hopefully_ alert them to his kidnapping.

" 'Ey, you've become a bit too quiet for me likin'." A grunt and that was all the warning Jack got as something sharp suddenly grabbed him by the face, forcing him upward as he struggled and let out hitched breaths. The movement jostled his injuries, burning and scalding his pain receptors.

Pale hands tried to grab, to scratch, to tear, but Krampus was strong as he held on tighter, claws digging on Jack's cheeks, drawing out fresh blood.

The guardian of Fun choked and stuttered, his groans and cries muffled by the claws as his struggles grew weak.

"Pretty little snowflake yew are. All fragile and small and easily crushed." A choked cry and Krampus chuckled at the three hundred and eighteen year-old spirit as he raised his whip and whipped it on the floor. Jack felt the kids behind him flinch and shiver and blue eyes got wide. "I don't think I've punished yew enough fer bein' in the naughty list for three hundred years, but yew have to wait yer turn. I still have several kids waitin' for their punishment and yewr slowin' me progress, eh?"

"NO!" Jack yelled and the wind whipped and screamed in reaction to the hoarse voice. The struggles grew with frustration and desperation as Jack managed to kick Krampus on the stomach, making him slacken his grip and let out a surprise cry.

Doing an impressive acrobatic move that would have put acrobats to shame, Jack hit the old goat on the chin before flipping backwards and landing ungracefully on the floor.

"I-I won't let you come near them." Jack hissed as he raised his hands in an attempt to block the other. "You'll have to go through me first."

Krampus straightened up and he sent a wide evil smile at Jack who flinched at the show of rotting mouth, gums, and teeth. The old man curled his whip as he neared Jack who stumbled back using his cold to make the children scramble closer to the wall and closer to each other for warmth.

"Go through yew, you say…" Krampus said with an evil cackle and Jack paled as the claws glinted menacingly even in the dark. "Now, that's something I don't mind doin'."

* * *

"Jamie?" Mrs. Bennett called out to her only son who she saw was kneeling in the middle of the yard, hands filled with snow, and in front of him was a crudely made snowman with sticks for arms and buttons for eyes. She smiled wistfully and fondly at the young believer as she walked towards him, groceries in hand. "Honey, isn't a bit too early to be making a snowman?"

"It's not." Jamie said stubbornly and the young woman noticed another missing gap in his teeth as he leaned forward to stuff more snow into the snowman's body.

"But the snow's barely just begun falling. Don't you want to wait for it to fall harder before you start making Frosty?" She said, gesturing to the snowman.

"I don't care. I want to make Frosty so I can ask him if Jack's okay." Jamie stated as he made sure the snow was packed together properly so the snowman won't collapse.

Mrs. Bennett raised an eyebrow at the name. _He must be talking about Jack Frost again._ "Okay, but don't stay out too long or you'll get a cold, dear."

Not waiting for an answer, the young mom went up the porch and into the warm house, leaving her son playing against a snow, making a snowman that would probably never answer his desperate questions.

But that was fine with Jamie. Sitting there, playing with a snowman that somehow represented Jack was better than lying on his bed looking at the window in worry.

_Please, please… _Jamie said as he closed his eyes tightly, a snowball crushed in his mitten-covered hand as he bowed his head in worried prayer. _Please let Jack be alright._

_Let the guardians make it to him in time._

* * *

"Why is he still on the naughty list?"

"Vhat?"

Bunny sighed, shaking slightly when the sleigh bumped lightly as the yetis made preparations. North was talking to Phil about the Christmas preparations when the old pooka intervened. "I asked, why is Frostbite still on the naughty list?" The guardian of Hope crossed his arms.

Tooth buzzed nervously, settling next to Bunny as she looked at North too. Amethyst eyes conflicted in worry and confusion. "I wonder that too! I mean you said you wiped the slate clean right?"

Sandy nodded as he flew over to Tooth's side and sat on the sleigh, looking at North with golden and curious eyes.

"Dah, I keep my word." North grunted as he jumped into the sleigh. He pulled at the reigns making the reindeers stomp their hooves in impatience. "But Jack go back to naughty list faster than _oleney _on bath day! Replaced yetis shampoos with paint! Had pink yetis complaining for weeks!"

"Reindeers." Tooth whispered when Sandy showed a question mark sign at the Russian word and the pooka grunted in confusion when North said 'oleney'.

"Tha' little troublemaker." Bunny huffed in annoyance but the three guardians were not fooled by the gruff tone, seeing as the green eyes tinted even more in worry.

"Dah, but that is what make him Jack, no? Would have him no other way, yes?" North winked as he pulled on the reigns and let out a startling cry for 'go'. The yetis scrambled back as the powerful reindeers began to ran forward and into the 'loop-the-loops'.

Bunny let out a startled yelp as he clenched unto the newly furnished sleigh, claws digging in. Tooth pursed her lips, her colorful feathers showing her distress. Sandy would have raised his hands at the ride but he was too worried, so instead he sent out his golden sand before him just as North took out the snow globe, not letting the loop-the-loops end before he smashed it in front of the sleigh.

"Krampus!" He roared in his thick Russian accented voice.

Bunny gritted his teeth as he tried to sit upright when the sleigh went through the powerful vortex. However it was not from the sickening lurch of the sleigh, _no_, rather it was the sudden assault of scents that made his nose twitch, his ears press to back of his skull, and a growl rumble out of his chest.

_Tears, blood, sweat… _

_And the strong scent of ice and snow._

* * *

If Jack thought before that it was physically impossible for him to sweat… well the droplets falling from his forehead told him otherwise. He was always too cold, so Jack never really got to experience a good sweat or a good cry either.

But he seemed to be experiencing both as he fought with Krampus.

The goat man, despite looking so old and crippled, was a very _very_ good fighter. And Jack's skills and knowledge in the martial arts he had honed for at least two hundred and something years seemed pitiful next to this thousand-year-old-looking creature who whipped and slashed as though he lived for it.

Jack stuttered back two steps as he fell and got grazed by sharp claws that had the color of blood in the dimply lit cave. He winced when a child's foot went through him and he felt a little hollow as he looked back and saw the unseeing and frightened eyes of the children.

The imaginary hole in his heart threatened to tear him apart.

"Interestin' right?" Krampus said in his hoarse and cruel voice. Jack scrambled up and his hands went into a defensive mode, feeling odd without the usual staff to hold up. "When 'em kids don't believe in yew, it feels like somethin' is trying to tear itself inside of yew."

Jack gritted his teeth as Krampus stretched his whip, flinching unconsciously at the sound it made and at the added whimpers behind him.

"Yew are so _weak_ here Jack. A baby, really, compared to North and 'em guardians. It wouldn't take much to kill yew. I mean, look, already a few frightened children with no trace of joy nor belief fer yew makes yew grovel to yer knees."

And as though to prove his point, Krampus whipped the floor and the sound startled the children so much, and the fear and sadness and anger and frustration ate at Jack's center like vicious moths, as he gasped and fell to his knees.

"It ain't nice bein' a guardian ain't it? With your existence tied to 'em children. And how many believers yew got? Not more than ten, eh?" Krampus cackled evilly. "Ungrateful little rugrats they are. Yew do your job, can't even spare yew a small belief can 'ey? Strange that yew even bother protectin' these brats. I mean, they _don't believe_ in yer sorry arse. Yer invisible to them and yet yew stand in front of them like-!" The strange goat man threw his hands in the air in an exasperated expression.

Jack let out huffs of breaths as he regained himself, stormy blue eyes looking at Krampus' red ones. "Y-You're invisible to them too. And even if they don't believe in me, I'll protect them because _I want to._" He gritted his teeth.

Krampus' eyes widened in temporary surprise. "Not because it's yer job as a guardian? Ha! Interestin' bloke yew are!" The old goat wheezed out a laugh. "And what did yew say? I'm invisible?" An evil smile lit up the contorted face.

Jack's eyes widened as he watch Krampus make his way to one of the shivering children. A girl with blonde hair, barely six, looked at Krampus' approach, eyes wide, her mouth trying to form a scream but it seemed like she was choking on it.

"Ah, my legend lives on." Krampus said as he reached out a claw and the poor girl looked like she was about to hyperventilate. "What pretty little eyes, maybe-"

But then the girl squawked when a rock suddenly flew past her and hit Krampus claws.

The anti-santa looked up annoyed as Jack panted with an angry expression on his face.

"Don't touch them!" Jack said tiredly his blue eyes drooping, his body feeling like cement, so stiff and numb and _tired_. "I told you, didn't I? You'll have to go through me before you get to them."

Krampus took back his claw, giving the youngest guardian an ugly scowl as Jack tried to stay up on his feet. "A guardian through and through. _Good or bad, naughty or nice, we protect the children_." Krampus said in a poor imitation, Jack realized, of North's voice. "Yer all full of the same nonsense really. You, North, that massive rabbit, that fairy, and that guy made of sand… Guardians, yeah right."

"You shouldn't mock what we do." Jack said as he limped towards Krampus, barely dodging as Krampus tried to whip him. The old goat jumped as Jack tried to knock down his legs. Krampus cackled as Jack tumbled and he tackled the young Sprite unto the floor, his claws around the pale neck.

Jack struggled helplessly as he kicked his legs desperately but the old villain barely felt the kicks Jack delivered. "I can mock 'em as much as I like, young guardian. Because yew know what I think? I think yer all talk! 'Em guardians don't care fer these naughty children, just like they don't care fer yew!"

"That's…" Jack panted as the claws tightened around his neck. "N-Not… t-true…"

"Ha! Are you deluded little _snowflake_?" Krampus said as he sat on Jack's legs and the boy let out a muted cry as his injured legs gave way at the weight. "It's been weeks, _weeks_! And I don't see any of yer precious guardians comin' to save 'em rugrats or yew!"

"T-They'll… come!" Jack choked out as he scratched at the claws on his throat helplessly. His eyes burned and he blinked back his pain and the tears threatening to spill.

"They won't." Krampus jeered as he leaned down to look at Jack in the face, reveling in the fear and uncertainty on his face.

"T-They will!" Jack said as he trashed harder and the old goat frowned at the tenacity of the youngest.

"What makes yew think they'll come for _yew_?" The old goat snorted. "Yew've been ignored by 'em for over three centuries! Why would they come _now_?"

_Because _he_ promised._ Jack wanted to say, but to his horror he found he couldn't voice out anything. Instead he flailed restlessly, blue eyes narrowed and fighting back. _Bunny promised me! He said- he said-!_

"_Nothing, is going to happen to ya'. We won't let anythin' happen to ya'."_

"I-I believe in them…" Jack finally managed to gasp out. "I-I k-know they'll come… They _w-will_ come…"

_If not for me…_ Jack thought helplessly as his blue eyes looked at the huddled and frightened children. _At least for the kids…_

"Don't get yer hopes up." Krampus said, getting annoyed at every word that came out of Jack's lips, at the unrelenting belief in those blue eyes. "Yewr here to protect 'em kids, but who will protect yew from _me_? And when yewr gone, no one will protect these brats. No one will come for _yew_ or _them_."

_They will come. They will._ Jack chided to himself as he opened his mouth to let out a frustrated cry as he struggled and struggled. _The guardians will come, they'll save the kids, they'll save _him.

"_And we will protect ya', I swear on the Moon we will."_

"No!" Jack roared as he finally, _finally _pushed Krampus off, the wind roaring in his ears helping him as best as it could even without the staff to connect them. The anti-santa was stunned at the sudden raw power that pushed him off. But then he smirked when he saw the effort it took the winter sprite.

The guardian of Fun was collapsed on the floor, barely able to move. He had exhausted the last of his will and his power. He looked up and watched helplessly as Krampus strolled towards him and picked him up by the scruff of his neck.

"Tha' was a good show, Frost." Krampus sneered. "And I admire yer bravery and yer belief on the guardians. But yew've begun to bore me… and I really need to get on with my job of punishin' these brats."

Jack opened his mouth, about to give the other a snarky reply but then his eyes widened and instead of words, blood came out of his mouth. Blue eyes looked down on himself and widened even more in horror when he saw Krampus' claw impaled onto his chest.

"Did yew know Jack?" Krampus cooed as Jack let out sputtered cries and tried to struggle. "When a guardian has less than ten believers he isn't exactly what you'd call an immortal. A guardian with so few believers like _yew_ can easily…" His hand twisted and Jack felt that heart-stopping sensation like someone was grabbing at something fragile inside of him. "…_be erased_…" He twisted again and the sprite flinched as blue eyes looked at Krampus who flashed the winter sprite one of his rotten-teeth smile. "…by simply _crushing_ their _center_." Krampus curled his claws and crushed whatever he was holding inside of Jack, as the guardian of fun-

"AAAAGGGHHHH!"

-collapsed onto the hard, unforgiving floor.

* * *

**Notes: **My exams are over! Yehey! But I might go disappearing again two weeks from now for more examinations and I just wanna sink on the sand and bury myself over.

So the _Krampus 3_ ended here. It was supposed to be longer but then I remembered I had to balance out this chapter and the fourth one so I cut it here. Well I guess I have all the time in the world to finally reply to your wonderful reviews!

**Neellok: **Uhm, but I'm sure I already placed on top of the chapters what arc they're from. I know I did. Thanks for the awesome review! And I'm happy your loved it!

**dizappearinggirl: **Haha, I was frustrated at Bunny too. But I'm not good with writing an overly emotional Bunny. Still trying my best to incorporate the perfect E. Aster Bunnymund without awkwardness. Thanks for the review! I read your review before as well and I loved it! Long reviews make my day! So thank you!

**Raven: **Thank you Raven but I doubt 'Krampus 3' was one of my most creative titles XD Thanks for the magnificent review!

**Book girl fan: **Do not worry, everything has its explanation and it will be shown in due time. Thank you for reviewing!

**SpazzyLassy105: **Thank you for the tempting review! Sorry I wasn't able to update faster. Exams take priority and precedence but the new chapter is up now! And the next one won't be too long a wait!

**TheVictoryAngelofStrife**: Such a wonderful title! You do not mind at all if I use it? Thanks for the wonderful review and may the guardians be with you as well!

So thank you for the wonderful reviews everyone. And also the people who answered my random question from the chapters before! Thank you also to those who wished me a happy birthday a few chapters back and also to those who wished me luck on my research paper! You guys are the greatest reviewers a writer could ask for!

So here is the **Krampus 3** presented to you! We shall meet again on **Krampus 4**! Questions are welcome as always, naturally!

By the way on a side note, remember that idea I had about 'Hope being Jack'? Well no one took it up so I decided to write it for myself. It's entitled _'Iced Hope'_ and if you're interested you can go check it out.

If I missed any important review questions please feel free to remind me!

Thanks again for your wonderful reviews! Good luck in life to all of us! Happy reading and reviews are very much appreciated! :D


	14. Krampus 4

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **When you no longer wish to defend, explain or fight then it's time to give up...no matter how much you don't want to. (_Anonymous_)

**Important: **By the way, to the early reviewers of _Krampus 3 _I edited the end part of _Krampus 3_ a bit, just to let you know.

**Krampus 4**

A pain _so strong_ and _so fierce _overcame the winter sprite as something inside of him was crushed. Jack's eyes widened unseeingly and before he knew it, he was falling… _falling_ to the floor, Krampus releasing him from his harsh grip.

The world felt like it was tilting, falling off its axis as Jack's face planted on the floor, the cries and whimpers of the children and Krampus' laugh sounding like muffled buzzing in his ears as he felt something inside of him slipping away, _slowly_ growing cold with every passing second.

His heart beat was slowing down…

_Why was it slowing down!?_ _Was he dying? What about the children? Who would protect them? What about Jamie? Who would bring early snow days to Burgess?_

_What about the guardians? _A nagging voice said at the back of his mind and Jack's numb fingers twitched.

That's right. The guardians, his friends.

_Bunny swore. He said- he said he was going to protect me. _Jack took comfort from that as he felt his eyelids droop sleepily. _I-I'm not going to die. Bunny won't let me die. They won't let me die. They'll come, I know they will._

_I believe._

And for a moment, Jack let the warmth of his belief envelop him, lulling his senses into a deeper slumber, a place that promised silence, no more pain or hurt, or crying children, or cackling villains. In that single moment, as Jack deeply believed that the Guardians would come to his aid, the small sprite felt at peace.

_Thump! Thump! Thump!_

Jack's eyebrows crinkled, the noise momentarily disrupting his sense of peace. He heard muffled screams in the background along with the weird thumping again and unwillingly, Jack's tired senses were dragged back to the real world. Was that his heart? Why did it sound like giant feet hopping on the ground? Were the children in danger?

_-ack!_

A voice.

_-ck! –ack!_

No, _voices_.

Did Jack imagine those voices? Were the children calling out for help? Jack's heart- or what was left of it- constricted in worry and pain.

_Jack? JACK!_

The winter sprite's fingers twitch as he felt a sense of déjà vu kick him in the gut. The voices sound familiar, tugging at the back of his mind, insistent and persistent and nagging.

_JACK!_

_Mal'chik!_

_Sweet Tooth!_

_The guardians, the voices sounded like the guardians._ Jack thought numbly as he felt the slow beats of his heart against his chest. The winter sprite felt someone kneel next to him and he almost smiled. Had he wanted to see the guardians so much that he _imagined_ they were there?

_No! Nonononono! Sweet Tooth, you hang on! Hang-Hang on for me! W-We'll get you out of here soon, we'll give you a nice c-cold bath! We'll let you f-freeze the elves as much as you want! Just hang on, please, _p-please_ hang on!_

He could almost hear Tooth, desperately crying beside him, soft and small fingers hanging onto his arms delicately as she tried to control her broken sobs while she spoke and tried to keep him awake.

_Vy slizistyy, nichego khoroshego, ublyudok! _

And of course North would be there too, shouting his Russian profanities at the enemy- And wait, was it Jack or did it sound like the old Cossack was trying to run through someone with his swords? A small smirk played at the pale lips, as Jack deliriously imagined Krampus curling in fright under the usually jolly man's anger and twin blades.

Then suddenly Jack felt something familiar and itchy caress him across the face before the young guardian heard the loud sounds of whips lashing. Of course Sandy would be there too, trying to soothe the children with his sand but not letting himself get behind on the action. Jack _could almost _hear the pained shouts and squeal of the old goat as he imagined Sandy smashing him around like he did with Pitch.

And Bunny-

_Thump! Thump! Thump!_

Jack froze as he heard that strange thumping sound again. He thought again of his heart but then paused. The sound was much too fast to be his actual heartbeat. His heart was slowing down, rapidly so, but the thumping sound, sounded like two large feet were going about the cave.

The Jack heard a tiny gasp, a few feet away from him. It came from one of the children. _The Easter Bunny!_ Oh, of course! That explained the weird thumping sound!

Other murmurs followed and Jack literally felt the children's switch of fear to an inkling of hope. _The Easter Bunny's here! He's going to save us!_ The murmurs of different languages were overwhelming and Jack felt happy for them, felt happy for the children who were finally going to be rescued in his imagination.

_Jack._

A warm paw was placed on Jack's chest and the sprite's eyebrows crinkled again in confusion. That was strange, Jack expected his imaginary Bunny to be off fighting Krampus along with Sandy and North. What was he doing beside the dying Jack?

_Jack, mate, yer going to be fine. _His imaginary Bunny sounded less confident that he should be. The voice was soft, trying to reassuring, but Jack could hear the heavy worry layering every word. _We're here now, y-you'll be fine, I swear._

The guardian of Fun picked up Tooth's sobbing again, stronger, when the Pooka said the words '_you'll be fine'_.

_B-Bunny, I can't- we can't-! _Tooth could hardly be understood over her crying. _H-His center, c-crushed… I-I-!_

_We'll fix it. _The guardian of Hope interrupted._ We'll fix him, calm down, sheila._ Bunny insisted quietly as Tooth continued to heave sobs. Jack felt a pang of guilt. He didn't want his imaginary guardians to be so distraught about his situation. He wanted to imagine them to be livelier, happier, kicking Krampus' butt to the next century, not grieving beside him.

The sprite opened his mouth, wanting to wish his dreams away now because they were no longer happy ones. He did not want the guardians to be so sad beside him, grieving. He opened his mouth, wanting to voice out loud his feelings of annoyance that even in his imagination, Bunny was a stubborn mule that refused to go with Jack's thoughts of fun and butt-kicking towards Krampus.

But instead of words, a dry cough came out of his mouth, jolting his already pain-filled body.

_Jack?_

_Sweet Tooth?_

And the strong and firm grip Tooth had on his arm suddenly felt too real, so did the warm paw on his chest. Jack's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to push away the delirious thoughts his mind had conjured, trying to pull himself back to the reality of lying in the cold cave, dying, with the children sobbing somewhere nearby and Krampus cackling not far off…

But nothing happened, the paw was still warm and firm and _real_ on Jack's chest. And so was the strong but delicate grip on his arm. And was it just Jack or was his imaginary North suddenly spouting strange Russsian words, Jack didn't know? And now that Jack thought about it, wasn't his imagination too strong and specific? I mean, he literally heard the sound Krampus' body made as he was hit across the wall via Sandy's whips.

Deciding to see for himself what was happening, the winter child fought the drowsiness overcoming him to open his blue eyes.

And in that moment with the hands and paws never leaving him, Jack was blinded by golden light.

* * *

The scene they walked into was the worst they could have ever imagined. Granted, Bunny had already thought up of the horror they would face once North's sleigh landed outside of the cave, but nothing could have prepared him for the actual scene they were facing.

The kids were huddled by the corner, dirty, starving, shivering as the wind howled in indescribable rage and fury, not really helping their situation. Krampus was by the side, claws high up in the air, cackling in self pleasure as –was that _blood?_- trickled down his claws and dropped to the floor, staining the cool and dark cave.

But it wasn't this particular scene that cause Tooth to freeze and gasp with so much horror that tears had gathered in her amethyst eyes, nor was this scene that made Sandy take out his whips, golden eyes wide but lips pursed in undeniable anger and uncontained worry, nor was this the reason why North began spewing hundreds of Russian profanities without a care in the world that underage children was in front of them, and this wasn't the scene that made Bunny's fur bristle and his green eyes widen as he looked forward in a dazed coma of horror and worry.

It was the young teen lying in the middle of it all that made them hesitate by the mouth of the cave. Body unmoving and incredibly small against the darkness of the cave, blood trickling down thin lips and blood seeping into the middle of his chest.

"J-Jack…" Bunny said out loud. And the sudden pronunciation of the name seemed to act as a trigger as suddenly North ran in, brandishing his dangerous twin swords, swinging them towards a surprised looking Krampus as he shouted profanities and curses at the other, successfully scratching the goat by the side as he dodged the crazed Santa. Sandy followed, his mouth opened in a silent scream, face ablaze with fury as he grabbed the anti-Santa by the whips. But Krampus was quick dodging to the side, trying to escape the sudden onslaught, however North blocked him eagerly, trapping him between the two guardians.

Throughout all that noise and sudden heavy footfalls and movements, the frail and pale figure on the ground did not move.

"Jack…" Nothing. "Jack!" Bunny shouted again, this time louder, as he hopped towards the other guardian, limbs shaky as though hesitant to come nearer in fear of finding out that the other was-no he wouldn't think about it, _he wouldn't_! Tooth was behind him, echoing his cries of worry.

"Jack! JACK!" Tooth cried out as she was the first, to reach the boy's side, Bunny had slowed down his eyes widening when he saw up close the horrible state the other teen was in. "Wake up, wake up… Oh please wake up…" Tooth sobbed, her tears falling freely from her eyes, and the miserable murmurings were enough to distract North who turned to look behind him and at the pale teen.

"Mal'chik…" The usually jolly man said, his blue eyes wide.

"Sweet Tooth!" Tooth gasped as he grabbed onto Jack's arm firmly, the other still did not move and Bunny tried to swallow whatever it was that was stuck in his throat as he looked down at the deathly pale face on the ground of the cave. Tooth's broken sobs echoed around the cave as she tried to convince the boy she was holding on to, to _wake up- wake up Jack_!

"No! Nonononono! Sweet Tooth, you hang on! Hang-Hang on for me! W-We'll get you out of here soon, we'll give you a nice c-cold bath! We'll let you f-freeze the elves as much as you want! Just hang on, please, p-please hang on!" Cried the guardian of Memories.

Nothing. Not even a small twitch or a smile. The fairy queen cried harder as Bunny felt his blood run cold. North seemed to have realized the lack of response and was still distracted when Krampus suddenly gave him a kick in the abdomen.

The old Santa was thrown back but Sandy kept his golden sand around the anti-Santa, eyebrows crinkled in concentration but golden eyes flickering over to Jack in worry and desperation.

North stood up shakily, his face a mixture of grieving and fury as he turned to Krampus, face as pale as the time he was losing believers. "Vy slizistyy, nichego khoroshego, ublyudok!" He gave out a war cry as he charged towards the old goat who got out of Sandy's golden whips and jumped over the sandman only to crash against the walls. The strange creature let out a squeal when the blades very nearly impaled itself onto his face.

Sandy pursed his lips as he let his sand expand and caress Jack's pale face in worry before he turned his attention back at Krampus, whips tightening around the old form as he began to throw the other against the wall and the ground, expressing his own anger and at the same time, saving the old goat from getting run through by North's swords again.

_Jack. _ Bunny thought eyes wide as he began to hop around in nervousness, thinking if he should go help Sandy or North- despite the fact that those two were doing incredibly well without him- or move Jack into the sleigh and risk injuring him further.

His hopping around however, seemed to have caught the attention of several kids who began to point at him.

"It's the Easter Bunny!"

"He's so tall!"

"The Easter Bunny's here!"

"He's going to save us!"

The pooka stopped, his sensitive ears picking up different languages as the children gazed at him in awe. Green eyes looked at the children who were still frightened but had hopeful smiles on their faces. They seemed alright, none of them was hurt and Bunny felt guilty that he forgot them for a moment, kneeling down as he extended a hand to a six-year-old girl with blonde hair who took his paw.

"Sandy…" Bunny called out and the golden man let go of Krampus resulting in a loud 'THUD' when the goat fell ten feet to the ground Sandy looked at Bunny who motioned at him, "C-Can ya' get these kids to the sleigh? Wrap them up in some blankets too, we need to take them home."

Sandy looked at Bunny, a single snowflake made of sand flashed above his head. Bunny gulped and said in a voice that barely escaped shaking, as Tooth continued to cry behind him, "I'll take care of him."

Sandy nodded, face still worried and golden eyes still looking over at the motionless teen, as he motioned his sand into clouds to fly over to the children. The children murmured in awe as they were lifted into them and flown towards the sleigh waiting outside. North was still too busy taking over the torture session Sandy abandoned to notice what was happening.

Bunny turned back to Tooth and Jack, settling beside the cold teen as he placed a delicate paw on Jack's sensitive chest.

"Jack." No answer and Bunny cringed when Tooth cried harder as a result. "Jack, mate, yer going to be fine." He said, although he hardly believed it himself what with the sprite not responding and all, but the slow heartbeat he felt gave him slight hope as he continued to speak. "We're here now, y-you'll be fine, I swear."

"B-Bunny, I can't- we can't-!" Tooth could hardly be understood over her crying. "H-His center, c-crushed… I-I-!"

_Crushed. _Bunny's ears drooped at what Tooth said. _His center was _crushed_? By Krampus?_

But instead of letting that dark thought consume the pooka, Bunny shook his head.

"We'll fix it."The guardian of Hope insisted._ "_We'll fix him, calm down, sheila."

But, _how?_

Bunny let the unspoken question hang between them. He was the guardian of _Hope _and _Life_, he should know the answer to that. He should _know_ what they had to do to save Jack but…

_His center was crushed._

How _can_ they save Jack? How can they save this precious boy who had shown them happiness and had given them a reason to be a family?

How? How do they save the small winter teen when said teen wasn't even responding to their calls? Bunny thought a she closed his eyes tightly, feeling so helpless at the moment.

But then a small miracle occurred, and the boy on the ground gave a sudden dry cough that echoed throughout the cave, causing North to stop trying to impale Krampus, Sandy to pause loading the kids into the sleigh, and Tooth to stop from her loud crying.

"Jack?"

"Sweet Tooth?"

Blue eyes opened tiredly, unseeing as they gazed above the dark cave blankly. "T-Tooth? Bunny?" A small pale hand reached out and Tooth grabbed it like a lifeline as the Easter Kangaroo lifted Jack up gently into a sitting position.

The blood running down Jack's mouth almost made Tooth sob again but she took a deep breath, held it all in and gave a wavering smile. "Y-Yes Jack. It's us, we here."

She said _'We're here'_, not,_ 'You're safe_'. She was a warrior queen after all, and after all they've been through for the past centuries, she knew that the most important things to wounded people were the fact that people were beside them, _with _them, as they tried to get over the pain and the hurt.

"Y-Yeah…" Jack said but his icy blue eyes weren't even looking at Tooth or at Bunny, instead he was looking on, unseeing. And this frightened Bunny more than it should have, making a shiver of fright run down his spine. "I-I knew you were coming." He gasped and then his lips cracked as he smiled. "B-Believed in you guys…"

Bunny's paws around Jack tightened and he felt North approach from behind him, silent as he kneeled beside Bunny. Sandy also came towards them, his golden sand acting as some sort of protective veil, but it did not matter anymore, Krampus was lying unconscious on the cold cave floor several feet away from them.

"Jack, my boy…" North whispered in a tone that made him seem older than when he laughed or boasted about Christmas being better than Easter. "Y-You will be fine, we-we will get you to workshop, have yetis take care of you-"

"Yeah." Jack said in a soft tone, not really blinking anymore and Tooth's tears began to fall again. "Yeah, back home… Sounds- sounds nice North…"

And the old Santa went quiet once he heard the word _home_, his great shoulders shaking as he held back sobs.

Sandy's eyes were glassy, he was playing with his fingers. He wanted to offer his dream sand, make the boy sleep. But with Jack as he is right now, it was dangerous, _far, _far too dangerous.

"The kids…? A-Are they… are they safe?" Jack murmured and his eyes began to close, he blinked slowly as he looked up, voice growing hoarse.

"I-" Bunny swallowed and he tried to smile but it seemed to fail as he blinked his green eyes rapidly trying to get rid of the burning feeling in them. "Y-Yeah, mate, the kids are safe. All thanks to ya', you brave little midget."

Jack's smile turned slightly into a smirk as Tooth's hold on his hand tightened. "Good." And he laughed before coughing, a frightening sound that made them all freeze. "Guess you guys owe me now, h-huh?"

Sandy nodded as he hung his head, he crept closer to Jack, as though by being there, the inevitable would not occur. North was shaking as he reached out and took Jack's other hand into his, pale and small in comparison to his own, weak and cold to warmth and strong.

"H-Hey, I can't see you guys clearly b-but you look like you need some dose of fun." Jack said and he tried to smile wide, showing his teeth and Tooth's fingers flinched at the urge to look at them. "We're- We're together now right? Stop looking like that…"

Bunny nodded but he hugged Jack closer as Sandy covered his golden eyes with his arm. "Y-Yeah we're together, that's what's important."

Jack nodded as he heard Bunny's silent words. "But it seems like we-we won't be together for long h-huh?"

"No." Tooth mouthed as she curled herself on Jack's hand trying desperately to cling to him, as though by doing so she could prevent the soul from actually leaving. "_No_. Stay, p-please _stay._"

We need you.

We just got you.

We love you.

"I'm happy that you came. Thanks for proving that old goat wrong…" And Jack tried to laugh but he found it hurt too much to do so. His blue eyes looked around for a moment before they turned towards Bunny's green eyes. "And thanks Bunny."

Unshed tears made Bunny's voice hoarse as he asked, "Thanks for what?"

"Thanks for- for that promise." Jack said with a pain-filled smile and the old pooka froze as he let the words sink in.

_Nothing, is going to happen to ya'. We won't let anythin' happen to ya', mate. _

_And ya' can count on us getting ya' out of any sticky situation ya' find your hide stuck in._

_And we will protect ya', I swear on the Moon we will._

We will always protect you.

And that was all that it took, for Bunny to curl onto Jack, his shoulders heaving in sobs he could no longer hold back. "I didn't- We didn't-" He choked.

"It helped." Jack said simply and the grip he had on Tooth and North was quickly losing strength, as was his willpower to keep his eyes open. "The promise helped somehow. I-It made me fight longer than I usually could w-without my staff. I-It helped me protect the children."

"J-Jack."

"M'sorry…" He said in a slurred tone as his eyelashes fluttered and he leaned his head against Bunny who shivered at the onslaught of cold. "I-I want t-to stay…"

"No… Jack, no. _Please _don't _go_." Tooth said in a broken voice as she looked up, amethyst eyes teary. Sandy was there beside her, golden eyes teary as well as he looked at Jack. North wasn't any better, as he tried desperately to warm up cold hands.

Jack smiled as he turned to Sandy, "One last sleep. Give me a good dream, f-for old time's sake. M'kay Sandy?"

The guardian of Dreams hands shook as he nodded, He lifted his arms and tendrils of sand made its way towards Jack.

"_No_." Bunny whispered as he hugged Jack closer trying to stop the sand from coming closer. But Jack pulled his hand away from Tooth's and held onto Bunny's furred arm.

"M'sorry." Was all Jack said as the golden sand enveloped him and finally, _finally_ his blue eyes closed with finality.

It was like a movie, the small and pale hand slowly falling from its tight grasp on the Pooka's fur as Jack Frost took his final breath. Everything became eerily quiet as the four guardians held their breaths just as Jack murmured his last words.

Even the wind which had been howling the whole time had quieted down as though she knew that the boy who once cared for her was no longer there, going to a place she could not follow.

The guardians sat there in silence, in the darkness of the cave, letting the heaviness of the atmosphere crush their souls and grind the remainders of their hearts.

It was Tooth, sweet sensitive Tooth, that gave in and broke down first. She heaved messy, loud sobs as she grabbed Jack's fallen hand, her tears wetting the worn and torn blue hoodie. Sanderson Mansnoozie fell unto a kneel, hands covering his eyes as he succumbed to his own silent vigil. North let go of the pale hand he tried to warm, realizing in defeat that no matter how much he wanted to, he could never warm it up. And Bunny, all Bunny could do as his fellow guardians broke down around him, was hug the cold body closer, wishing so _so _much, that fate wasn't so cruel.

But it was, and the cold body of the boy they all cherished more than their lives was the sad reminder of that.

* * *

Jamie Bennett sat outside of the front porch of their house, still trying to build Frosty with the limited snow around him. The sun was covered by dark clouds and suddenly, to his surprise the light snowfall had suddenly stopped.

The last light looked up at the sky, brown eyes shining in worry and eyebrows crinkled. Two weeks until Christmas and no snow? What gives? Was it Jack? Was-Was Jack _alright_?

However he was distracted from his worried inner rantings when suddenly-

SPLAT!

The three feet snowman he had been making suddenly fell to the ground, scattering about in front of him.

Jamie's eyes widened as he scooped up the snow into his hands in confusion. His small shoulders began to shake as tears ran down his wide brown eyes.

He couldn't- _didn't _understand why.

_Why?_

It was only a stupid snowman he was building like every other day. But _why_? _Why_ did it _feel _like-

Like he just _lost_ something _more_ than a stupid three-feet-tall snowman?

* * *

**Important Notes: **The kids have been kidnapped for a few weeks and I'm sure that some of you are wondering how they ate or went to the bathroom with a crazy goat as their kidnapper. Krampus' dimension exists slightly out of reality, therefore even if it's been a few weeks in the mortal world, in Kampus' world where there is no morning, it has practically been just a very, _very _long night. Which would explain why Krampus only decided to seek revenge _now_ of all times.

The _Hydrophobia _chapter title has been changed to _Aquaphobia_, thanks to **TheMysticWolf36** for the very helpful information. Thank you!

**Russian Translation via Google Translator: "**You slimey, no-good, bastard!" North's war cry.

And one more thing, **YES THERE WILL BE A **_**KRAMPUS 5**_

**Notes: **Oh well, uhm wow. I would just like to say in all honesty that I did not expect this to go to Krampus 5. Sure I've had Jack being killed all planned out but I didn't expect it to go on like this. I was like typing and then deleting scenes, and then typing and then deleting, and then getting frustrated and then reading your _awesome_ reviews and the updating seven other fics and then getting frustrated again :D

And also I just had to insert Jamie in there somehow :P The kid's awesome.

So we're nearly at the **300 review mark** guys! Thanks for supporting and loving this story all the way! XD I know I'm forgetting to mention something important again, but I'll eventually recall it, hopefully.

So to the _**review replies**_**:**

**Lovepuppy316: **Yes, please feel free to kill Krampus XD And I would love to write the gory details of beating Krampus but this is rated K+ (or was it K?) for a reason XD I can write a total separate scene of the guardians beating up (torturing Krampus) and send it to you if you wish though!

**DragoWolf: **Thank you! And the results are something I have to go get tomorrow, I feel like hyperventilating. Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter! XD

**SensiblyInsane28: **I'm sorry for ripping out your heart! I didn't mean to! HONEST! Thanks for the review!

**XxPurpleStarGazerxX: **I am? It's an honor to receive such a compliment! I didn't think I was good at that actually! Anyway, thanks for the review!

**Blade-Rose: **It's okay, I understand. And thank you for the no pressure comment, some (most) of the reviewers were screaming for an update and some others were hyperventilating O . O Anyway, thanks for taking your time to review!

**TheVictoryAngelofStrife: **So far it looks like it'll have 5 chapters for this arc, I was only planning four but erm- things got out of hand. Haha… Thanks for the review! And with regards to your title, I'll place it in once I finish the Krampus arc! Thanks again!

**sakuradancer3: **Thank you for the HINT. Haha it made my day XD I hope you look forward to the next chapter and thanks for the review!

**dizapearingirl: **Thanks for replying to my comment, and haha thanks for the compliment as well! And good instincts on sensing that Jack doesn't have very long at all :D

**JayaEmera: **Yes, I haven't forgotten, I'll get to those other arcs as soon as I can :D

**Guest: **I'm sorry guest reviewer (orz) I have no excuse. It's just that I have to update other fics too from other accounts and since Ice Cubes was updated recently, it was sorta unfair to leave my other fics hanging XD But the new chapter is out now! And I know it ended in a cliffhanger but I hope that you enjoy it! Also, I'll try to get this arc over as soon as I can, so I can post Hibernation soon too!

SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE REVIEWERS! You guys rock! You are awesome and well you guys are just plain awesome! The closing of the Krampus Arc is near! Many of you have requested some things for this arc and I hope I managed to fit it all in properly.

So until next time guys! I might post another chapter later _if_ I manage it (and if this reaches 300 reviews by later), but it won't be _Krampus 5 _rather it would be _Hibernation _or some other continuation of one of the arcs.

So thanks again and please review!

**Random Thoughts: **I was reading this statement while drinking hot chocolate: '-Jack wouldn't go gallivanting naked in the middle of traffic even if he was invisible-'

Suddenly I had a _flashback_:

**Jack: **I have tried _everything_ but _no one_ ever sees me. (To Man in the Moon in the movie)

_End of Flashback_

My eyes widen and I spit out my hot chocolate and I was like, "Oh my- Jack _what_ do you exactly _mean_ when you say you've tried 'everything'?"

Thoughts? XD


	15. Wishing Away

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **Jack spent hundreds of years wishing for only two things: For people to see him and for a family to love him.

**Wishing Away**

"_Many cultures throughout history have regarded water as a sacred gift from the gods, because of its vital necessity to human existence and surprising rarity in a potable form… "_

-a single pale hand, shaking slightly, a coin between his fragile looking fingers-

"_-The idea of throwing a coin into a wishing well is also ancient. A wish would then be granted by the guardian or dweller, based upon how the coin would land at the bottom of the well."_

A quick prayer, a whisper of hope, the coin slipping through well-trained fingers-

"_-If the coin were to land "heads-up" the wish would be granted. If the coin landed "heads-down" the wish would not be granted-"_

It lands inevitably unto the water of the well, shining up in mockery at the person peering through in anxiousness-

"_-however, worry not if the first coin does not land "heads-up", there are an unlimited coins in the world and next time you simply have to have a bit more of luck or believe a little more-"_

The book does not mention what he should do now, after the one thousand three hundred and sixty-two coin lands in a 'heads-down' position.

"_-and when the coin lands on the right side, may you have a happy wishing and a happy life ahead."_

So he just sits there, blue eyes dully looking down into this long abandoned well, book lying face down a few feet away as Jack tries to think of where he could get the next thousand or more coins, people could only leave so many quarters behind.

Jack thinks it a bit mocking really, that this well is as ancient as he is and just as invisible. Maybe that's why it can't grant his wishes anymore, because it's as tired as he is and has long since giving up in making anyone else happy.

But Jack thinks, as he stands up and picks the book, that he did not want to end up abandoned in the middle of the forest somewhere, sad and growing vines, so he resolves to find other ways to make his wishes come true.

Meanwhile, he hopes the old, abandoned, well can make someone happy with the thousands of silver coins it has managed to dupe Jack out of.

* * *

"_Near the home of the Virgin Mary there is a wall where people place notes written with a wish."_

Jack looks at the wall filled with papers, he traces his fingers against them reverently, sorely hoping in the bottom of his heart that these people who wish for happiness and strength and health had their wishes come true because Jack know what it feels like if your wish is eternally ignored even by the higher Beings.

He gathers blank sheets of paper and began to write his wishes in his quick and messy handwriting, excited at the prospect of seeing his wishes amongst the people he wants to see him, wondering if anyone would notice it and maybe, _just maybe_, someone would notice and believe in him _finally_-

"_Lore has it that if the wish comes true, you must remove the wish from the wall."_

A hundred and thirty-five years later, the paper Jack writes on- white and terribly worn with years just like its owner- is still there, placed high up amongst the wishers, wanting to be noticed and to be taken heed of.

Jack stands among hundreds of wishers, looking up at that worn white paper no one can see. He is just like everyone here, wanting to have their wishes heard, but unlike the people around him who offer candles and prayers, no one can _hear_ or _see_ him.

He turns and leaves and thinks that a hundred and thirty-five years was long enough to hope- and as he jumps high and let the wind catch him, the worn white paper is finally taken from its place in the wall and crumbles into the wind silently, listening to the held back cries of a boy who _so wanted to be seen_.

* * *

_"This gum wall began with theater patrons waiting outside, placing a blob of chewing gum on the wall and sticking a penny or other coin in it."_

It's a silly wishing tradition but Jack thinks it's worth a try. At least the book hadn't told him to strip naked and yell at the moon yet, so he is willing to give this legend a see if it really worked.

"_Now people chew wads of gum and shape letters and figures from it, as well as adding the conventional blobs."_

It stinks of old gum and dried saliva but he tries not to cringe as he chew on his own piece of brightly colored gum, watching a team of athletes doing the same as he, popping a gum onto their mouths and chewing.

"_People seek out bright colored gums to chew and add. High School football teams have started their own tradition in Bubblegum Alley as well."_

And Jack copies the team of athletes as they place their gums reverently on the wall and pray. He watches as they looked hopefully upon the piece of candy and leaves, their spirits are high and so is Jack's because he feels really good about this one.

"_When the opposing team comes to play the town's High School team, they go to the alley before the game and put a piece of gum on the wall for good luck."_

A few weeks later, the town's football team, the 'Gum-chewers', won the Regionals and were sent to represent their State for the Nationals, and as Jack watches from the bleachers the happy smiles coming from the team of athletes as they thump each other on the back, he wonders what he could've done wrong.

The team of gum-chewers got their wish and won the game while Jack…?

…He is still so very much alone.

* * *

"_The birthday cake has been an integral part of birthday celebrations in Western cultures since the middle of the 19th century."_

It is his one hundred and seventy-two birthday, a lucky number as any when he tries it.

"_The Western tradition of adding lit candles to the top of a birthday cake originates in 18th century Germany."_

He managed to salvage a cake that was being thrown out by a dissatisfied baker who knows nothing of conservatism and he manages to snag a few new candles from the baker's shop for good measure and besides no one would miss two small blue candles, right?

"_The birthday cake is often decorated with taper candles that are secured with special candleholders. In North America, the number of candles is equal to the age of the individual whose birthday it is."_

He _would_ have placed a hundred and seventy-two candles if he could, but he thought two would be enough and besides, the number of candles had nothing to do with wishing. So he thinks this is enough, as he licks his fingers for stray icing.

"_Though the exact origin and significance of the candle blowing ritual is unknown, the history of placing candles on top of the cake is well documented."_

He is giddy with excitement when he lights the two new candles with a match. He is careful not to extinguish the candles or frost them over as he closed his eyes in a semblance of a prayer.

"_Traditionally the birthday person makes a private wish, which will be realized if all the candles are extinguished in a single breath."_

Blowing out all of the candles is fairly easy for someone who had frost for breath and add to the fact there was only two candles, the odds were in Jack's favor.

Smiling to himself, the winter sprite leaned forward in interest, ready to devour the slightly deformed cake when he heard a whimper not far. Standing up with his cake still in hand, Jack peeks to see what made the noise and to his shock he sees a little child curled up with newspapers around her acting as a blanket.

She was shivering and by her thin frame she seemed hungry.

Looking down at the cake in his hands, the young teen makes a decision.

"_In medieval England, tokens, such as coins and thimbles, were baked inside the birthday cake, a tradition that persists today with the Christmas pudding. "_

The young girl alone by the alley, wakes up to a sudden warmth. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open when a slightly deformed birthday cake met her sights. Two candles shone brightly on top of the said cake as her eyes began to burn and tears fell down her dirty cheeks.

Jack leans out of sight, listening to the muffled sobbing of the hungry girl as she ate his cake and he closes his eyes.

He decides it doesn't matter if what he is doing invalids his wish, what matters is that the girl lying with old newspapers for blankets will have something to eat and candles to warm her in this cold winter night.

From the bottom of his heart, Jack wishes for the girl to be happy and he imagines her blowing out the candles just as he does so.

Three weeks later, Jack hears of a very fortunate little girl who is adopted by a rich couple who had no children. And Jack smiles to himself as he wonders sadly, when _his _wish for a family would come true.

* * *

_"There are several customs related to dandelions the most popular being when you see the first dandelion of the season, make a wish."_

It's nearly Spring and flowers have started to blossom despite the snow on the ground, which was definitely signifying that in this part of the world Jack was no longer needed.

"Look Mom! A dandelion!" A little girl's squeals and Jack turns abruptly from his search of a dandelion, blue eyes immediately seeing what the little girl found.

"That's nice dear, now let's get going to your grandmother's house, she's expecting us for lunch you know." The mother of the child scolded lightly as she tugs at the small arm.

Jack smiles gratefully as he runs towards the small miracle of a flower protruding from the thing powder of snow.

"_Others say you must blow on a dandelion puff and make a wish. Then say:"_

"Dandelion, puffs away, make my wish come true some day." Jack murmurs and he feel just a little silly as he says this but his hands tighten around the small flower anyway.

"_Some people say that all the "whiskers" are gone after the third puff, your wish will come true."_

Not all the whiskers were gone when he blows the third time and Jack looks down at the flower in disappointment. He lets go of the dandelion and steers himself to fly to another country and find the first dandelion of the season there.

He was on his fifty-sixth dandelion in a random country somewhere when he suddenly couldn't take anymore and his fuse simply blew.

It was the year 1868, Easter Sunday.

* * *

"_There are many wishing customs related to horseshoes. Early horseshoes were made to hold seven nails - seven is considered a lucky number."_

He comes back to Burgess sporting black and blue bruises. Despite the beating however, Jack smiles a happy smile as he holds up a horseshoe with red fingers.

"_The earliest horseshoe beliefs started in Greece, where the first horseshoes were made during the fourth century."_

Of course, the winter sprite didn't need to wrestle a horse just to get his hands on this little beauty, but Jack was pretty persistent and he had heard from somewhere that a horseshoe worn by an actual horse was better than one that was newly made, so he sucked it up, went to the nearest ranch and claimed World War I on the first horse he saw.

"_A popular wishing custom using the theme of seven, is that if you find a horseshoe, rub it seven times while making a wish."_

And Jack does exactly as the books says. He closes his eyes- this has become a habit, something he did before he dabbled in the lore of wishing- and rubs on the stinky and cold horse shoe.

_I wish, I wish, I wish…_

"_Some people make a wish for good luck when you hang a horseshoe on a wall. "_

Blue eyes open tiredly as Jack finishes rubbing on the horse shoe.

"_Just having a horseshoe hung is supposed to bring good luck. You have two choices of how to hang it: Hang it with the ends pointing up, so it captures and holds good luck for you. Hang it with the ends pointing down, so the magic in the horseshoe pours out good luck for you."_

Seeing as he was already done with it, the sprite hangs the horse shoe on the branch of his favorite tree. He flies down and looks up at it with wide, blue, and hopeful eyes.

Several days later, a bunch of kids ventures into the forest of Jack's lake and sees the horse shoe on the tree. They saw it and thought nothing of it until a snowball suddenly hits them from out of nowhere.

Freaked by the sudden attack from someone no one could see, the children all ran away screaming bloody murder. No one came near the forest after that.

A few nights later, Jack throws the horse shoe into the cracked part of his lake and watches as it sinks down into the darkness perfectly incorporating his own feelings as he sits on the snow bank and holds himself together carefully.

* * *

"_A great new moon ritual you can do to make the most of the powerful energies, is to write down your list of desires and intentions for the next month."_

The book is old and worn as Jack traces the paragraph word for word. He has finally reached one of the hundreds of wishing ritual he finds difficult to do.

"_You can get into the creative process and use different colored inks etc if you wish. The idea is that the more energy you put into it, the better the results."_

It has been over two centuries since he'd last spoken with the moon, and now it seems only right that the final ritual was to ask for the moon's guidance and answer once more.

Hey, it's only like the thousandth time he tried to get the moon to talk to him right? What's one more crushed hope?

"_The process also creates a sense of magic and ritual. Really get into the feeling of your manifestations as if they are happening right now and use the present tense. This is the key to manifestation."_

Writing down his wishes was the easiest thing he had ever done. Jack had gone over his wishes enough to _know_ what he exactly wants if this whole wishing ritual pans out.

"_As with the full moon ceremony, read the list out loud and bury or burn it, or place it somewhere so that you can look back at it during the following month's new moon, then if there is something that has actualized into reality a month later, show gratitude by thanking the Universe."_

Walking out of his forest and onto the full view of the moon was difficult. He hugs the book and his staff closer to his chest, a lighter and his list in one hand. He could feel his heart hammering in anticipation as he finally sees the moon, so bright and so big shining down onto the center of his lake.

He walks over there quickly, eager to have the moon's undivided attention that night.

He puts down the book, the lighter, and his staff and opens his list carefully. He clears his throat and opens his mouth, "Uhm, so yeah hi again Man in the Moon."

Silence. Jack doesn't blame him for not talking back.

"So uhm, I'm Jack. Remember me? The spirit you talked to two hundred years ago? Ring any bells? No? Well I don't blame you. I mean I've only tried to talk to you for like a thousand times, no big deal."

Silence again and Jack feels sorta silly now as he looked down at the paper in his hands.

"So yeah, I-I'm going to read out my wishes to you now, if that's okay?" Jack says and he hurries on to the wishes, "Well first of all, I mean if it isn't too much trouble, I want- I wish to be- to be _seen_ by people. You know, like not walked through anymore? To be believed in like Santa and the Kangaroo- and by Kangaroo I mean the Easter Bunny."

Silence.

"I mean, that can't be too difficult right? I don't mind being seen by only a handful of children or one, even one is enough! I-I just want to play with a kid that wouldn't walk right through me you know? You understand where I'm coming from right?" He looks up hopefully.

Silence. And Jack's lower lip quivers as he looks down at his list again, trying to ignore the burning sensation in his eyes as he reaches up a hand and rubs at them with the heel of his palms.

"S-So yeah, if you could take care of that- uhm let me know okay?" It's hard trying to keep his voice casual as he took a deep breath. "And to the next one, well actually if you'd make me choose between my two wishes, this is the one I want to be granted the most. It's a bit embarrassing but hey, at least I'm not butt-naked and dancing weird dance rituals while talking to you."

Another bout of silence and Jack thinks it's a bit more awkward than before as he clears his throat.

"Uhm, I-I want- I wish for- for a family." Nothing and Jack continues to speak, eager to fill the silence with his voice. "I-I don't think I'd mind being invisible if I had a few people out there who cared for me- like-like a family. A few people who actually wondered where I am if I'm gone for too long or people who care when I haven't eaten for over fifty years…"

Jack looks ups again, blue eyes a tad bit desperate as he lets out an awkward laugh. "I mean, have you ever had a family? I've seen them, seen what it's like when there's someone there waiting for you to come home, someone who would hug you when you feel sad or lonely, a person who would reach a hand out to you when you fall…"

There was still no answer and Jack was grasping at strings at what to say now, wondering if he was doing a good job at convincing the moon to grant his wishes.

"I-I know you're not some sort of Fairy Godmother- or Godfather- that can suddenly grant me what I want with just a wave of his wand. And I'm not even sure if you grant wishes like the book said, but-" Jack's eyes began to blur as two hundred years of loneliness enveloped him and slowly suffocated him, memories of being walked through by people who couldn't see him and being glared at by spirits who could, crossed his mind. "But I don't mind waiting. Even if it takes a hundred years, I-I'm willing to wait."

"Just please…" The winter spirit shivered but not from the cold as the paper in his hand dropped to the ice beneath his feet. He sat down on the balls of his feet, carefully wrapping his thin arms around himself as his shoulders shook lightly. "_Please_…"

_Just please, grant me my wishes._

* * *

That night, the simple town of Burgess noticed smoke coming from the forest of their lake. In worry that the forest might be burning, several adults went to check it out but to their relief and utter confusion, what they found were only a lighter, the charred remains of a book and what seemed to be a piece of paper with unreadable writings.

No one knew who it was that burned these items and _why_, but the citizens of the small thriving town thought nothing more of it as they turned and headed back to their warm homes, and families.

No one noticed a lonely set of footprints that led towards the deeper part of the forest just as no one saw the young boy that was curled up under the base of the tree that once held a horse shoe.

Jack has been alone for over two hundred years, one hundred and seventy of which he has spent doing every wishing ritual known to man just to obtain his own wishes and happiness.

However, it was only exactly a hundred years later, that these wishes would come true. And they came true indeed, in the form of four guardians.

* * *

**Important Notes: **So the wishing rituals weren't in an order okay? They just showed random time periods with Jack doing them :D

**Notes: **So yeah, _Hibernation_ didn't want to be written. It didn't cooperate with me! I was like, in the 3rd page when I started banging my head against the wall. But there was this advice on one book that I read that said, if you can't continue what you're writing refresh your mind a bit by making a new story! And well, I wasn't sure if I was going to post this in _Ice Cubes_ but then there's a second part to this were **the guardians somehow see the last part thanks to some sort of time traveling device or thanks to the moon**. And if that didn't scream _family_, I don't know what does.

So yes, I know some were expecting **Krampus 5** but it'll be up several hours from now- _hopefully_. And then we can say goodbye to the Krampus arc and say hello to the continuation of the other arcs.

Just a heads up! I have an exam coming up soon, so I'm gonna try my best to spoil all of you guys for the next few days or so (to the Ice Cubes lovers you're very lucky that out of all my RotG fics, this is my favorite) and please don't be shock if I suddenly stop updating frequently because that means I'm in my study mode and I really have to focus.

The **review replies** for Krampus 4 will be on Krampus 5, and I hope you guys like this chapter!

With regards to the information above it was taken from the following websites found in my profile.


	16. Krampus 5

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **It was inevitable. He was immortal in age and body but he bled like every other human being. But even so, no one dared speak the word 'death'.

**Krampus 5**

Warmth.

Before Jack had become a guardian, he had always wondered what it felt like to have the warmth of your family envelop you. He was an independent winter spirit, brought to life by the moon. He had no father and no mother who conceived him, no siblings who pulled at him to play with them or scold him for being mischievous.

Jack had never known family and had never understood them.

In his first few years of being a winter spirit he didn't understand them. He didn't understand the father who looked proudly at his son, nor did he understand the mother who patted her tummy lovingly as she looked at her husband happily.

But even if he didn't understand, he still learned to crave for it.

Those looks people took for granted, those touches people easily shrug off…

Jack wanted that, all of it. He wanted that and more. He wanted to be seen, yes. To be heard, absolutely.

But more than anything he had wanted a family.

However Jack was a spirit of the cold. He breathed out death and caused harm to people. No one could love him as he yearned to be loved, no one would see him as he yearned to be seen.

He didn't want to be viewed as a cold creature capable of only freezing water parts and pissing off other immortals. He wanted to be seen as a teen who wanted companionship and friendship…

… and _family_.

But having a family meant having _warmth_. Having people who _love_ you and _stay_ with you and _worry_ about you and _care_ about you. The intensity of their feelings eventually warming you in the inside and giving you happiness and _hope_…

But Jack personified winter. He was cold and the heat could very possibly kill him. He was not made to frolic about and wish for hugs that would warm his forever cold skin. He represented the end of things, the _death_ of things.

And such strong affection from people, such strong _warmth_. It could kill him.

But that did not stop him from wanting the _warmth _of family anyway.

And maybe it was because of that selfish wish that he- he spent those three hundred years by himself. Maybe the moon was punishing him for wanting to be with other people who didn't even want or acknowledge him in return. Maybe not getting what he _wanted_ was his purpose as he roamed this planet forever alone.

But then _they _came. His – moon forbids they weren't- _friends_. Immortals _like him_ who protected and loved children _like him_.

And in the short amount of time he stayed with them, Jack began to grow hopeful that maybe his wish wasn't so absurd, that maybe when they went past the stage of being associates and comrades, after they go through the motions of friendship and friendly banters that _maybe _– _possibly_ they -he and the guardians- could be a family too.

A family.

That would have made Jack happy. The thought of it _already_ made Jack happy.

But he guessed his prayers and wishes were never meant to be answered in the first place anyway.

It was cruel.

Just when Jack is finally seen and believed in, when he finally finds people that were willing to tolerate his presence and accept him-

Everything is taken from him just like that.

Granted, he did not regret saving those children's lives. But still-

Why was it that when he finally had something to live for, it is taken away from him?

"_M'sorry…_"

"_No_…" That tone was desperate and soft, small fingers surprisingly strong against his. He feels oh-so sleepy and his body was buzzing with warmth, slightly uncomfortable but it was lulling him to slumber. "Jack,_ no_. _Please_…" A whisper and he turns his head a bit just in time to catch tears. "…_don't go_."

But he had to go. He had to leave. It was inevitable and Jack just smiles in comfort as he addresses the small golden man who was looking at him with wide golden eyes.

_"One last sleep. Give me a good dream, f-for old time's sake. M'kay Sandy?"_ He sees the other nod and he sees golden arms shake. But Jack is prepared, he knows he should probably fight and try to survive, but sometimes there is wisdom in knowing when a battle has been lost. And Jack was worse than lost.

His center was crushed, he had barely ten believers to maintain his existence.

His weak existence being erased from this world was inevitable.

But even if Jack had given up hope, it did not mean that everyone else had too.

"_No_." And even though it was a silent plea, there was conviction in those words. The tone of a person desperate to cling on to hope, to cling onto anything that would make everything better, that would make this better. It was a soft broken sound, filled with despair and refusal to give up.

But sometimes hope is cruel. It just builds up expectations, only to let you down in the end. Hope, in reality, is the worst of all evils, because it just prolongs the torments of man.

But Jack is still surprised by Bunny's reluctance to let him go, he could feel the warm body hold him closer and he lets go of Tooth's weak and shaking fingers to grab at the other's fur.

"_M'sorry."_ Because really that's all he can say. He doesn't know why, but he was causing these people pain from his suffering. Maybe it's because they care about him, maybe it's because they're _friends_.

But Jack is _dying_…

And in that single dying moment as Jack is surrounded by warmth and the comforting golden tendrils of the sandman's dream sand, the guardian of Fun permits himself to pretend.

He permits himself to pretend that the guardians gather around him because they _care_ about him as much as he cares about them. He pretends that everyone would _really_ be sad that he was leaving and not just because they felt guilty for not coming sooner. He pretends because that was all he could do, that was all he had done, even in his three hundred years of life.

And his lips twitch as golden sand curls around his face in a gentle gesture.

Bunny tries in vain to hide him away from the sand and Jack's hold tightens, blue eyes looked up regretfully, unable to see the faces of the people he loved anymore.

And finally, _finally_ his eyes close and his lips form a smile as Jack feels his consciousness being pulled into deep slumber.

Surprisingly, in that moment, as warmth surrounded him, rang in his ears and as hands, paws, and fingers hold onto him like he was their lifeline, it was _so easy_ to _pretend_…

…It was _so easy_ to pretend that _hey_, maybe these people kneeling around him thought of him as _family_ too.

And that pretense was what _really_ made Jack's heart slow to a stop.

Because even in his last moments, 'pretending' was all he could really do.

* * *

It was quiet.

The wind had long stopped howling, everything was eerily quiet now, and a few heads poked up from the _incredibly_ amazing sleigh of Santa to look at the entrance of the cave.

"They're taking so long…"

"Do you think they're okay?"

"Maybe we should go and check?"

Small voices, some thick with accents, look about in panic. They weren't really keen on staying here any longer but the only they could leave was if Santa and the others came back to take them home already.

"We should go take look. Just go and ask the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy if we're leaving yet." Another bravely piped up and the rest of the kids nodded at her plan while others exchanged reluctant looks.

But then again, they were _all_ kids from the naughty list, and it wasn't really surprising that inevitably all of them had clambered down the sleigh and towards the entrance of the cave. There were only brief hesitations, they were still scared out of their minds from the kidnapping and the darkness and the screaming winds…

…But these kids were strong, they were tough, of course they were tough. When you built up an exterior of being naughty or a bully, having a hard heart and nerves of steel were in the requirement.

"I can see them." A small girl, the blonde one whispered and her eyebrows crinkled. "They're- They're just sitting there."

"It looks like they're crying." The smallest one with a thick British accent wrinkled his nose disdainfully. "Why are they crying?"

"Maybe someone got hurt?" The tallest squeaked. And most of the kids craned their necks shoving an pushing to get a better view.

"Oh hell!" A boy grunted as he pushed away from the curious onlookers. "Why don't we just go in and ask?"

"Wait-!"

But it was already too late. The boy had already gone into the dark and damp place.

* * *

His paws were shaking. The body lied lax in his grip and his paws were shaking. All around him, the guardians just stared, eyes wide and watery, uncomprehending, unseeing, face pale and horrified.

Tooth was the only one not looking, having buried her face in her hands, her fragile body convulsing from harsh cries and wails and whimpers. No one moves, no one tries to comfort her.

There was _no comfort_ in having their _friend_, their _family_ lying still and dead in Bunny's arms.

No one knew what to say.

No one wanted to talk.

They just sat there and stared and mourned.

There was no light in this dark cave, no moon to guide them out of this pit they seemed to have fallen into.

Jack was gone. Jack was _gone_.

_Jack was gone!_

And nothing would ever bring him back.

_Clink!_

Bunny's long ears twitched at the sound but no one moved.

_Clink!_

Santa absently grabbed his swords.

_Clink!_

Tooth finally looked up, eyes red and swollen, a confused look on her face.

_Clink!_

Sandy's whip cracked and in a sudden bout of rage he flew high up and directed his whips towards where the sound came from.

Golden light lit the walls by the entrance as Sandy cracked his whips. There was a shocked shout and all the guardians turned to see a boy jump back in surprise at the loud sound Sandy's whips made.

"Boy?" North said his voice soft and hoarse as he stood up shakily. He walked with shoulders slumped, grief resting on his shoulders heavily as Bunny hugged Jack closer to his body. North was trying hard to pull himself back together but was visibly struggling. Tooth held back a sob. "What are you doing here? Is everything alright?"

"U-Uhm, e-everything's fine, mister Santa." The boy said as he cringed slightly. Sandy and Tooth noticed other kids peeking in from behind them. "We were just worried and wanted to see if you were okay. You were taking awhile."

North let out a shaky breath. "Oh yes. We- We are fine-" North's voice broke at the last word. "-we are just… I-" North looked back towards Bunny who was still cradling Jack, ears flat against his head. The guardian of memories eyes were wide with grief and horror.

Seeing as North wasn't going to call them off, the other children entered, looking around the cave. Some of them could see the dark mass of an unconscious Krampus by the side and they breathed out a sigh of relief. Others meanwhile noticed the dark silence around the guardians.

"Are you- are you okay?" A girl asked timidly as she looked at Tooth who was hiccuping into her hands.

Sandy tried to nod but then at the last second he shook his head.

"Did you get injured?" The four guardians flinched at the question.

"No, no we're fine. We have a few scratches but-" Tooth sniffed as she rubbed her eyes. "We're fine."

The kids all exchanged looks but didn't ponder further. They're heroes were fine, they were fine. They were gonna get home and they were going to continue with their lives and the guardians were to thank for that.

"_Thank you._" It was a small voice barely above whisper but in the silent cave it rang clearly across the walls.

"Wha-?"

"Thank you for saving us." A kid said flushing and all around him the other children nodded enthusiastically, their faces lit up in adoration and love and _belief-_

The guardians flinched.

"We had g-given up on anyone finding us. We were so cold and scared but you came and rescued us, even though we weren't the best kids…" Another piped up and others said their minds too, some in broken English others in simple statements.

North hung his head down while Sand clenched his fists, Bunny didn't move and Tooth succumbed again to her sobbing. The kids stopped, terrified when their heroes didn't seem happy by their thanks.

"Uhm, Santa?"

But North wasn't the one who answered.

"It was not us who saved ya', ya' little ankle biters." The kids jumped when the Easter Bunny finally spoke, his voice heavy with grief and remorse but he didn't look up as he spoke.

The kids exchanged confused looks. "What? But there's no one else-"

"No. Someone else was here protecting you before we came. _He _was the one who saved your lives-" Tooth said in a broken voice heavy with crying. "-not us."

"But-But no one else was here and that-" A kid who could see Krampus cautioned to the unconscious bundle. The others shifted in confusion at what the kid was pointing at.

"The person who kidnapped you is Krampus." Santa stated and the kids flinched, others in shock because they had heard of Krampus but hadn't believed in him while others because they considered the name taboo. Suddenly, the dark unconscious bundle on the floor could be seen more clearly. Sandy's golden whips trailed towards Krampus, curling around him to bind him just in case he woke up because of the surge of belief.

It was important to explain that Krampus had been there the whole time to get the kids to understand _what_ had _truly happened_ and for them to know _who_ had_ truly saved them_.

"He had kidnapped you because you are in Naughty list and he thought you deserved more than the coals I would have given you. So he took you here instead to punish you." Santa explained.

"But the naughty children of the world were not the only ones he had taken." Tooth said her wings fluttering slowly.

"He had taken a very special guardian too." North whispered. "The guardian of Fun and Joy."

"The one on top of the Naughty List." Tooth said in a silent but fond tone.

Bunny growled, body shaking in grief. "_Our _ankle-biter."

The children shifted and exchanged looks. There was another one of the guardians? But who? Big Foot? The Leprechaun? Cupid? The groundhog?

"Did you not wonder why _no one _was hurting you?" North said in a tired tone. "Why no harm befell you even when you were taken to this place?"

A girl, the one with blonde hair, the one Krampus nearly touched, stepped forward, eyes wide in confusion and anticipation. "Who?"

The guardians did not speak. The name of the youngest guardian they all cherished closed up their voices and made their chest heave in pain.

It was Sandy who had given the most important clue. Fashioning snowflakes from his golden sand and allowing them to drop from the roof of the cave and down onto the children. The small man did not intend to make the children sleep, which was why when the kids held out their hand to catch the beautiful creations, they did not collapse to the floor in an unconscious heap.

"Snow." One said as she took a snowflake into her hands, eyes sparkling.

"Pretty snowflake." A girl cooed as she caught some on her palms. Bunny shivered and held on tighter to the invisible teen in his arms. One kid noticed this and turned.

"That…" He started slowly and the guardians looked up at him. The kid's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and his eyes narrowed. "Are you- are you holding someone?"

The kids who were playing around with the sandflakes turned to stare at what the other boy was saying. It was then when most of them noticed the odd angle of the Easter Bunny's arms as though he was holding something precious.

"Is that- Is that the one you were telling us about?" The blonde haired girl said. "_Your_ ankle biter _Krampus_ took?"

"Is there something wrong with him?"

"Why can't we see him?"

"He helped us?"

"Is he alright?"

North gave a shake of his head and several children gasped. The blonde girl approached Bunny and kneeled next to him. She placed a hand onto the space between Bunny's arms and her eyebrows furrowed when she touched air.

"But-But there's no one there…" She said in confusion. She felt a small hand on her shoulder and looked up to see the Tooth Fairy shaking her head sadly.

"You have to believe in him, to see him." She stated softly as she kneeled beside the girl. She leaned forward and took Jack's pale cold hands, but to the kids it just looked like she was touching nothing. "Like how you believe in us."

"But…" A boy spoke up, uncertainly. "How do we believe in someone… we can't see? How do we believe in someone, we don't know?"

Sandy looked up and waved his hands, making more sandflakes drop onto the children. Other fluttered away from those who were trying to catch the sandflake only to land on their noses. Santa looked at what Sandy was trying to do and he had an idea.

It was forbidden for the guardians to speak about other immortals' names and to inspire belief into children simply by saying their names. A belief had to be brought about by the immortal himself or else had to be _shown_ or _hinted _at by other beings to instill belief. And that was exactly what Sandy was doing and what North was about to do.

"Children, do you know about the famous song? It goes 'Kashtany obzhiga na otkrytom ogne-'", North paused, scratching his beard. "How does it go in English again?"

"_Chestnut's roasting…_" Tooth began to sing quietly, her voice echoing against the cave instilling silence as she quietly held the hand off the stiff teen. "_…on an open fire._"

Bunny hummed the next line quietly, coaxing the children to sing the next part themselves.

"_Yuletide carols being sung by a choir…_" They sang as quietly as Tooth as they all approached Bunny, kneeling all around them. "_And folks dressed up like Eskimos._"

"Ah." North interrupted the quiet singing and the children turned to him and his blue eyes sparkled sadly. "We cannot move on to the next line."

"Why not?" A kid asked confused.

"You missed one line." North said quietly. "Very important line. Song is not complete without it."

"We missed…" A girl murmured in confusion. "You mean the one with the 'nipping at your nose' thing?"

"Dah, my most favorite line in the whole song." North nodded and Sandy saw what the older guardian was doing. Tooth was still silently holding onto Jack's hand. "Why not sing it for me, precious _deti_?"

"Oh, uhm…" The children looked flustered, Santa was actually asking them to sing for him! "Well I guess it goes…"

Every child took a breath and sang together, "_Jack_ Frost..." They sang._ "-nipping at your nose_-" But the children were interrupted again when sandflakes all landed on their noses.

"What the- _achoo!_"

"These things are- _ah-achoo!_- my nose is-!"

The kids all sneezed, some laughing others grumbling.

"Man, these things are worse than _Jack Frost_." A boy said jokingly and the others laughed. However one little blonde girl noticed the flinch from the guardians at the name.

"Jack Frost?" The girl said again and the children around her stopped laughing.

"Yeah that's what I said. Didn't you-" The boy said but the girl wasn't listening to him anymore, instead her eyes were looking at the guardians.

"Did Jack Frost save us?" The girl said anxiously as she looked at the tooth fairy beside her. "Was it him that protected us?"

Tooth looked at her and gave her a shaky smile. Her amethyst eyes were filling with tears once more. "He cares about _children _so much. We're- We're really lucky to have him."

And just like that, it was like a veil had been taken from the girl's eyes.

She looked down at Bunny's arms again but this time they were not empty. E. Aster Bunnymund held a lanky teen in his arms with skin as pale as the moon and hair as pure as snow. He laid there peacefully, not breathing, eyes closed and body littered with so many bruises only _Krampus_ could have caused.

The blonde girl gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth as she let out an 'oh'. Tears began to fill her eyes as she remembered vaguely the howling sounds the wind made, how it frighteningly resembled a scream, _someone crying for help_.

The children behind the girl shifted in discomfort when the blonde kid started crying harshly.

"Jack Frost." A boy whispered this time. "She said Jack Frost…"

"Jack Frost, is he the one Santa and the Easter Bunny was talking about?"

"Jack- Oh my-! I think I see him now!"

"What-? You do?"

"She's right! Look there!"

It was like a domino falling, creating a chain reaction in the line it stood. One by one the pieces falling into place. Once one little child was finally able to see what the guardians were talking about, it was only a matter of time before the other children followed suit. And it wasn't long before every child, every kidnapped kid could see _him_.

"T-That's Jack Frost!"

"H-He looks so injured-! I-I don't think he's breathing!"

"The wind, remember when we thought we heard someone screaming? Could that have been-?"

"No! No, no, no! He saved us! He protected us! Why isn't he waking up? We haven't _thanked _him yet!"

The cave became noisy, some children were crying others were calling out to their fallen hero. North tried to comfort the kids, holding them in his strong arms, Sandy as well was trying his best with his sand, while Tooth just looked sadly at the girl beside her, crying her heart out.

"He-He was trying to- trying to help us. He-He made a hopscotch court for us! But we- we were scared and- and-!" The blonde girl continued to cry miserably.

"Shh, sweetie." Tooth's voice was thick from grief but she tried to comfort her anyway. "I'm sure J-Jack, wouldn't want to see you crying like this for him."

"But-! He's just like us!" The girl said as she looked at the peaceful from of the white-haired teen. Her vision was swimming with tears. "He's in the naughty list, right? That's why he was taken, right?" She sniffed.

Tooth nodded and the girl's face crumpled in grief as she reached out and took Jack's hands. "He must've been so alone. No one could see him too…" She said softly as she bowed her head, her small shoulders shaking. "He's like us. We were only trying to catch someone's attention and he must've been doing the same."

Bunny flinched at those words as the girl looked at him. "But still, he must-must've been happy."

"Why?" Bunny asked in a whispery tone. And the girl gave him a heartbreaking tear-filled smile.

"Because his family came and stayed with him until the end."

* * *

**Notes: deti** - _little ones_ or _children_

Okay, so this thing is extending to _**KRAMPUS 6**_, which is being typed as we speak. I'm not sure if I liked what I typed for this chapter *glares at the laptop screen*

I'm sorry, I said I was going to update two weeks ago but I burned my hand and I wasn't about to upload a chapter with only an author's note on it so I decided not to push my hand. (It was my fault for making hot chocolate. My hand throbbed for days). And when my hand recovered well, it was time for exams and between here and there, I just really had no time to update.

But **Krampus 5** is really long and it's pages are extending so I'm cutting it into parts again. I'm finally at the last part where the children thank Jack and _mmmphhhh_-

Yeah, no spoilers.

But this time for sure I will update it several hours from now. Around six to seven hours. And this time _I WILL UPDATE IT IN SIX TO SEVEN HOURS_. We really have to close this arc soon I still have to do three more requests!

By the way, the **450****th**** reviewer** thing will be cancelled. We'll make it into the **600****th**** reviewer** instead just to ensure that when the **600****th**** reviewer **gives me his or her prompts I will be free of other prompts XD

So I apologize to the other prompters, **Krampus arc** has really gotten out of hand but I will get to your prompts as soon as I can!

**hisokauzumaki** I hope the story is still okay in your eyes XD

Oh by the way heads up! I know some of you are unsatisfied (as am I) as how the guardians beat up Krampus. Uhm, well I'm really sorry about that. I'm thinking of a chapter called _**Torture**_ which describes every bit of pain Krampus felt as the guardians pummeled him XD But it'll just be a tiny extra and when I upload it, I will upload another chapter with it because it might be a bit boring unless you are a sadist :D

So, to** review replies:**

**Lietthebest: **Thank you very much for the reference! I will try to read it when I have the time and use the knowledge you have bestowed upon me to make this arc better :D

**CelticGirl7: **YES! THAT WAS MY FAVORITE PART TOO! Thank you so much for noticing it T^T

**hisokauzumaki: **I hope it is still up to your expectations! I will try hard to give you a satisfying ending!

**TheVictoryAngelofStrife: **It looks like this arc is extending and extending and man XDD Thank you once again for the amazing titles! And I seem to be making a lot of people cry lately XD

**Catatonic Inspiration: ***takes away the elves* OH MAN! NOT THE ELF! *clears throat* Feel free to use the idea, I loved seeing others write about this concept too! Hibernation will be explained further when it comes out XD I mean, it's like finished but it's in my notebook (the paper and pen notebook type not the mini laptop type) and I have to type it up first.

**TheMysticWolf36**: Thank you for the very amazing and long review! I know what you mean! I was struggling with that part about Krampus getting beaten up because I'm not good with that- but that's just an excuse because I know I can get better with it (I am definitely going to train myself on the art of battle!) Oh and I want to give a long reply to your review so I'm just gonna send a PM later XD Thanks!

**Mausee: **I love your review because not only was it long but in caps lock andif there had been a like button I would've liked it 300000000 times XD

**Dizappearingirl: **Yes I can't wait to type up hibernation too XD And yes th last comment was meant to be funny because I did not want to be attacked by sobbing fan girls hehe :D

So thank you for those who answered my random thoughts and for the reviewers who drowned me with their passionate tears. I'm pretty sure I broke someone's heart along the way. Anyway the random thought portion was just my weak attempt to get you guys to laugh after reading the Jack being killed part :P I have updated **Iced Hope a**nd after I update at least two more chapters in Ice Cubes, I'll be off to update **Ice Prince**. You know I found it a bit funny that some people were shocked that I was the author for all three of these XD

Oh and I already know what the story for **Icicles **will be.! _**Ice Generation **_yeah!

(_Note: _Ice generation is the author's compilation of stories with the words _Ice _on them :D)

So is that all I have to say, I don't remember but I'll get back to you if I forget anything. I did not reread this nor rechecked it so, I'm sorry for any grammar mistakes and the like!

THANK YOU AND I'M SORRY! (I know I'm definitely forgetting something)

Special thanks to **magiccatprincess **for pming to check if I was alright!

**Random Thought**: I was writing a _new arc_ when this occurred to me. The mini tooth fairies were in Pitch's lair and so were the teeth when Pitch was dragged back into his hiding place as it closed up.

So yeah, how were the mini tooth fairies able to get out of there with _billions_ of teeth cases?

Well yeah they could go through walls and stuff but didn't the nightmares see them (then again the nightmares are only attracted to fear) or what about Pitch (he was getting devoured, duh)?

Wait, Bunny could have made a tunnel-

Yeah, I just answered my own question! Never mind!


	17. Krampus 6

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **And then there was nothing.

**Krampus 6**

It took awhile for the children to calm down. When they did, they had formed a small group in front of Bunny who still refused to let go of Jack. Beside him, North, Sandy, and Tooth sat. Krampus had been taken into the sleigh by Sandy while North comforted the kids earlier. The small man gave Krampus a punch for good measure and to ensure that he was knocked out instead of the heavy dousing of sand that would've been painless.

The kids had puffy eyes, some were bowing their head while others sniffled now and then, rubbing at their own eyes for anymore escaped tears. When they had all calmed down, they insisted on thanking the Winter teen and had gathered in a group.

No one dared to speak the word 'death'.

"We're sorry." A kid finally spoke up, twiddling with his thumbs his head looking at the ground. "We didn't acknowledge your presence because we were scared. We're sorry."

"You protected us." Another spoke in a quiet tone. "Even though we didn't believe in you and yelled for you to go away, you were there and you protected us."

"We should've done something. Attempted to try and escape but we-" Sobbing had started again.

"I don't know if you can hear us." The blonde girl said as she reached out for the pale hands, big and cold but these words the hands that protected her and the other children. "But we're really thankful and we're really sorry."

A boy looked up trying hard not to cry. "We'll be better kids. We'll try harder and we'll tell everyone we know about you."

"So thank you." A small girl said in an accented voice.

_Thank you._

"And we'd just like to say…" All the naughty children looked at the once unseen teen lying like a lifeless doll in Bunny's arms.

"We believe in you, _Jack Frost_."

And suddenly, there was light.

* * *

Bunny didn't know what he was expecting after the children gave their thanks. Maybe everything would continue onto a blur ad they headed back into the sleigh and the Easter kangaroo would be like a zombie for days, never leaving Jack's side even as North went through all the preparations of a proper sending off.

Maybe he thought his heart would close off. His other senses seemed to have done that already. He forgot what it was like to feel now, his body was numb and the weight and cold body in his arms were barely felt now.

Maybe it would've been for the best if the old Pooka had let go of Jack. Given him to North so that the Cossack could bring the other back to the sleigh and lay his tired body to rest in the seat and cover him with the blankets there.

But even the thought of doing just that had sent Bunny's heart reeling. The emotionless façade he head forced onto himself threatened to collapse and loss wanted to grab at his heart and squash it and crush it into oblivion. Having Jack in his arms, managed to keep the hurt away even for a bit. Maybe it was because by having the other so close, his heart and mind still dared to hope.

Even if Jack presented all the bruises of someone who wasn't _there_ anymore, the guardian of Hope still hoped.

Because humanity was like that, having a _heart_ and _caring_ for someone was like that.

You hope and hope and hope, because _hoping _is the only way that you can continue. Because _hoping_ is tomorrow's veneer to today's disappointment. Because at the moment, with Jack in his arms and the children around them, hope was all they had.

It was the only connection they had left of Jack.

The hope of someday becoming a family.

The hope that it wasn't too late.

But hope was cruel. It builds up dreams and push down frustrations and when everything doesn't work out, it knocks them down like cannonball to a tree.

Just when they thought they had Jack, just when they thought they had a family forming, and just when Jack was finally _seen_ and _cared _for…

It was all taken away, just like that.

And nothing could've been crueler than that. Or so Bunny thought.

In his arms a cold figure laid, skin as pale as the moon, hair as pure as snow, cold to the touch and unmoving and it takes everything Bunny has to try an register that the boy in his arms is gone, that he had _died_ protecting the children, the best way any guardian would go…

And then words of the children cut him bone deep, reminding them of mistakes of three hundred years and centuries of children walking through…

"We believe in you, _Jack Frost_."

Then a bright light suddenly shone and the intensity of it blinded Bunny.

There was no Moon in the twisted home of Krampus' dimension. No light that would guide them out in the darkness or help them out from the deep pit of sadness and grief they had fallen into.

And if Bunny thought that death taking Jack was the cruelest thing that had ever happened well…

The life slowly beating under his paws conceded that thought and Bunny gazed down in wonder mixed with panic and amazement.

Because Bunny realized that the cruelest thing the world could do to him now was not to kill Jack and take him away.

No.

The cruelest thing right now was for the world to let him _hope_ again after all that has happened, only for it to end up with fate taking _away_ what was important to him a second time.

* * *

Being the guardian of Memories, Tooth knew the potential of what a good memory and a bad memory can do to a person.

She had told Jack once that her and her fairies purpose was to remind children what was important. To remind them of the warmth children like them should carry all throughout their lives so that they may look back at their childhood with fondness and live the rest of their lives in contentment and happiness. They stored the most important and happy memories in hopes that children would not forget what was important, in hopes that _memories_ would warm their hearts in the most coldest of circumstance.

Memories warm you up from the inside. But then, they also tear you apart. Because the worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it.

And right now as Tooth stared at the teen in Bunny's arms, she is reminded of the happy memories she had with the guardians. She feels and echoing loneliness and sadness at the fact that _this_- this would tear them apart. Prevent them from creating happier memories with each other, Jack's – Tooth shivered – _death_ always hanging on their heads like an unwanted hat.

Because happy memories don't always do good. Sometimes rather than warm people, they cause them to grow colder because it reminded others of what _had been_ and what _could've been_. Reminded them of what they _had_ and what they _lost_.

And like good memories, bad memories can sometimes do a person good. It reminds people of past horrors and pushes them to be stronger.

Sure, for now, Jack's death would tear them apart and cause them to drift away from each other. The happy memories, the pranks, the laughter would haunt them for the rest of their days and stalk them like shadows, probing and eliciting hopes that were crushed and cast to light to dreams no one realized they had.

But a bad memory would help them in a way too. It would help them move on and realize the importance of a person's life and that would make them stronger and more determined to protect those that are important to them.

Because no matter how much suffering a person goes through, they should never want to let go of their memories. Because no matter how sad or heart rending it may be, it was what they had and it defines what they are and what they will be.

But just as Tooth tucks away the last memory she had of Jack smiling- blurry in the edges because of her eyes filled with tears- as Jack gazed at all of them with softness they found surprising from a person who was sharp and defined, the children chant in harmony their last message to the fallen hero.

"We believe in you, _Jack Frost_."

And as soon as those words were said, a bright light illuminated and Tooth's wings fluttered in shock as she covered her mouth with her hands as she uttered a soft 'oh'.

Memories could be good or bad, depending on a person and his experiences. Not every memory and life can end in a happy note. It rarely ever ends in a happy note.

But Tooth knew, as she gazed and recorded with her own eyes what was happening, that this would be one of those times that life would make an exception.

* * *

Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see wonder. Anyone who keeps the ability to see wonder never grows old.

North was a young man at heart and this was known by his friends, _his family_. He had the uncanny ability of seeing good things not only in objects but also in people. He was able to see the potential of a person, the abilities they blindly turn away from.

He had told Jack once that he had the eyes that can _see_ the wonder in everything. This wonder was what he put into the world and what he protected in children…

And he had seen that wonder in Jack too.

The potential of the not-so teen guardian they had eventually come to love in only a short time. The teen they had all failed to protect in the end.

North had always prided himself in being able to look at the good side of things, the _wonder_ful side of things if you must. He was always the one who made crazy ideas to help others just to bring a little hope and wonder into a very helpless situation.

But right now, as he sat next to Tooth, looking at the children that they had somehow miraculously rescued thanks to Jack, North could not find it in him to find the _good_ in this situation.

Maybe the good in this situation was that, because of what had happened the guardians would be more cautious in the future. Maybe the good in this situation was that they had finally, _finally _gotten rid of Krampus. Maybe the good in this situation as that thanks to what happened there would be lesser naughty children in the world. Maybe the good in this situation was that Jack had four times more believers than before now.

But what good was all of this when Jack, _their_ Jack, wasn't even here to share the wonder with?

For all their magic, their belief, their strong conviction… why could they not save one boy they held dear?

And North slumped in defeat, thinking that he didn't need magic anymore if he could not even save one person he held dear. His old friend Ombric once told him that the world was full of magical things, but the greatest of all magic was a person's belief.

If one had faith, if one had trust, if one believed strong enough, _then anything could happen_.

And just as North remembered this, the children around him began to say, "We believe in you, _Jack Frost_."

And to North's shock bright line began to shine, blinding his eyes and senses with wonder as he felt a warm feeling swirling in his belly and spreading throughout his body and to his fingertips.

Yes, the world is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper and to notice the wonderful little things of life. And as North watched with growing wonder at what was happening-what he _hoped _was happening, he realized that…

…Yes, this was one of those wonderful little things.

* * *

All of our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.

Sanderson Mansnoozie had always believed that when a person dreamed big enough and believed hard enough, _anything _could be possible. Dreams were a reflection of a person's innermost wish and desire, the longing a heart strongly wishes to make come true. A possibility many are scared to pursue.

Sandy knew dreams better than anyone else. Knew that they were the personification of a person's inner pure thoughts, filled with longing and wonder and hope for it to come true. The guardian of Dreams worked in a realm where he brought these dreams to children, strengthened their beliefs and hopes with a simple sand in the face.

Making them come true however was a different matter.

He was once a wishing star though, once, a long time ago and he wasn't sure of that counted as anything. He loved making people's dreams come true, he liked seeing the happy faces he brought just by listening and granting.

But things have changed now and he was in a world where wishes and dreams were not easily reached without hard work. Although Sandy wanted to do his very best in making others dreams come true, he could only do so much as a being believed to be a myth by several million people.

But if there _did _come a chance where Sandy is given the power to be able to make a dream come true, then Sandy would take it into his hands and do his best to ensure a dream.

One such dream was Jack Frost's dreams.

He was a strange boy. All other people in the world had endless dreams and wishes but Jack, even though he had been alone for about three hundred years did not nearly have as many wish as the others.

In fact, Jack was one of the very few Sandy considered to be contented with the way things are. He may not look like it but Jack Frost was a being who had no complaints and who had whole-heartedly accepted the situation he was in and was trying to make the best of it.

But everyone had a dream.

And it wasn't hard to find out what Jack's dreams were.

It was to be expected that one of Jack's desire was to be seen. But surprisingly, this was a pure hearted wish no one would expect from a boy who made blizzards for fun and laughed at the face of danger.

Jack wanted to be seen, yes, Sandy had known this, but not the extent that people would start to fear him in exchange. Something Jack himself had said when he had told Sandy quietly of Pitch's advances and offers.

"I was lonely but it was okay. I wanted to be seen but I didn't want to be feared in exchange." Jack told him once with a smile. "I mean where's the fun in that, right?"

The second dream was something Sandy found in delight he could give with ease. Jack had wanted this with all of his heart and it was only right that the guardians gave it to him.

Jack longed for a family again.

It was something he had so desperately wanted. Going so far as even thinking of joining Pitch- even though briefly- just to make sure that he had someone who cared about him, who thought and _needed _him. And that broke the sandman's heart.

He vowed to do everything to make Jack's wish come true.

And Sandy was confident that given time, he would have fulfilled Jack's wish of a family. He would've been able to convince the other boy of the familial ties between him and the guardians.

Everyone had already seen Jack as something akin to family. It was just Jack who refused to believe it.

But nothing everything will always go as planned. Fate would always intervene just as you think 'Life couldn't get any better'. And this time, Fate had taken something more important than a dream of a young boy.

Fate had taken the dreamer himself.

Sandy wished sometimes his sands were not the Sands of Dreams. Sometimes he wished his sands were the Sands of Time, wanting to go back and reverse everything that had ever happened. Too go back three hundred years and pluck a lonely winter spirit away from a lonely life with no memories, no hope, no dreams, and no wonder.

He wished he could be given another chance to make someone as pure hearted and selfless as Jack happy.

They all wished they would be given another chance.

But, that was not to happen, it seemed. Because here they were now, with Jack still in Bunny's arms, unmoving, not breathing, as still as a doll.

And dreams echoed around Sandy, whispers of tiny children as they said their thanks and apologies to the boy who will never get to hear them, before finally they all say one last message:

"We believe in you, _Jack Frost_."

And Sandy thinks, as a bright light shines and he drops his whips as golden eyes widen, that maybe Fate was giving them a second chance after all.

And if he were then…

He'll do everything in his power to make everyone's dreams come true again.

* * *

It was dark and it was cold. He was stuck in this place where there was nothing ahead, above, or below. Sitting there in the middle of nothing, seeing and watching nothing, hoping, wishing, and praying for nothing.

And Jack thinks idly if this was his punishment for three hundred years of pranks.

No heaven or hell for him. Just an eternity of nothingness and waiting for all eternity.

Waiting for what though, he did not recall. He just had a vague sense of warmth and hands and paws and sand. A simple touch of memory, of kind smiles, worried faces, horrified gazes and before he knew it, he feels something wet drop into his hands.

He was leaking- or rather, _crying_ if he recalls the term correctly.

He feels that vague sense of loss hollowing his insides, a pain of forgetting and confusion as he placed a hand on is chest. He left behind, he knew that, what or who, he could not remember. But he wanted to go back, he was sure. But how or why, he does not know.

So he sits there, just sits there and wonders.

Who was he? Where was he? He has an eternity to think of the answers. And instead of feeling relieved because there was no pressure in getting the answer out of him, he feels devoid and wishes for something, anything to give him a clue.

And then the humming starts.

There were vague words but it was disconcerted in this place of nothingness.

_Chestnuts roasting on an open fire_.

The humming again, the song going out of focus before back, this time sung by little children. Jack's heart ached.

_Yuletide carols being sung by a choir._

Jack hums along, though he feels a line missed in that familiar but peculiar song.

_And folks dressed up like Eskimos_.

Then the song stops abruptly and Jack is left puzzling again, over the song, over the lyrics and wondering what it was that was missing and-

_Jack Frost nipping at your nose._

-and the song starts up again before it stops abruptly and silences. And Jack stars wide eyed, gripping the name in the last line, turning it over his head.

_Jack Frost_.

That was his name wasn't it? Those children said his name! They know him! They know him!

Or did they?

No one answers Jack's question.

He was alone in this strange world. Being sung about by children who weren't even here did not matter, Jack decides and he curls upon himself, a familiar gesture, hugging his knees to his chest clinging at centuries worn trousers and he idly wonders once more if someone, _anyone _will come for him.

And he wonders of warmth and of people he barely remembers.

He feels them though, as though they are beside him. The warmth of fur encasing him, the small hand holding his and then joined by another-

Jack flinches, almost as though slapped. The hand of a child hovering over his own hand and he gazed in wonder. Someone, a kid, was holding him! Touching him!

And they _weren't_ going through him!

Someone _believed_ in him.

And a small light lit up inside of Jack as he cradles his hands in his chest, listening, ears rapt with eager attention.

"_We're sorry. We didn't acknowledge your presence because we were scared. We're sorry."_

"_You protected us. Even though we didn't believe in you and yelled for you to go away, you were there and you protected us."_

"_We should've done something. Attempted to try and escape but we-"_

"_I don't know if you can hear us. But we're really thankful and we're really sorry."_

"_We'll be better kids. We'll try harder and we'll tell everyone we know about you."_

"_So thank you." _

_Thank you._

And Jack feels lighter than he'd ever had in weeks, in months. He feels something growing there, in his heart, like a seed planted in his heart ready to bloom only this side of painful.

"_And we'd just like to say…"_ Jack looks up as the words continue, feeling a warm weight settling inside of him making him feel weightless.

"_We believe in you, Jack Frost."_

Blue eyes widened as light shone in the vast space of nothingness, enveloping him fully and Jack hears a laugh, a familiar laugh, tinkling and sweet and kind, and Jack feels a small hand on his once more and he turns and his breath stops.

A girl with brown hair and eyes was holding his hand, a woman and a man behind her. All of them having the same serene and contented looks on their faces as they smiled proudly at Jack.

"Jack." But the voice wasn't the calling, desperate one he had heard several months ago. It was a calm voice, filled with love and wonder for him.

The elder woman behind the girl raised a hand and placed it on Jack's face. Her smile brightened as she said three words that made Jack's heart stop a second time, "We love you."

And just like that, Jack knew no more.

* * *

**Notes: **Oh man, a KRAMPUS 7! Why do I keep doing that? *facetable*

I'm happy I manage to snag twenty reviews in several hours though. THANKS GUYS!

For sure, the next one is the end, I'm sure it'll be the end right?

I might edit this in the future and man I'm so tired but I pulled through with my promise guys! Two updates in one day! :D

So please enjoy, the guardians' point of views were inspired by the quotes below and I just don't know what to say now, my head is throbbing.

_Hope is tomorrow's veneer over today's disappointment._ **Evan Esar**

_Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart._ **Haruki Murakami**, _**Kafka on the Shore**_

_The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared._ **Lois Lowry****, **_**The Giver**_

_Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old._ **Franz Kafka**

_The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper._ **W.B. Yeats**

_All of our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them._ **Walt Disney**

This was** not rechecked **by me so I'm sorry for the mistakes, I'll work on it when I wake up after a long, _long_ rest.

Thanks for reviewing, and to **Moonumb**, yes you are right. Other **review replies** will be on the next chapter, I really need to sleep!

Oh and to **hisokauzumaki**, I'm happy you liked it but I feel unsatisfied for some reason. Maybe I need to train more in writing! XDD

So,THANK YOU to all reviewers and reviewers and people who favorited this and followed!

And review if it isn't troublesome!


	18. Krampus 7

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **Because there _is_ a later, and none could be more please by that than Jack.

**Krampus 7**

Jack doesn't remember much of what happened. It was a whirlwind of activities for him, that he couldn't register in his confused and dizzy state. All he remembered though, was that he felt warm, not only physically but also in his heart. A warm weight beating against his ribs and his chest, something heavy and full of life.

The love of an old family.

The worry of a new one.

It was like someone restored his heart, his _center_ in its place and brought him back to life. And hey, maybe that's what _exactly _happened, who knows?

The movements in front of him were blurred, hurried and he felt the sensation of something soft like fur on his skin, enveloping him, the steady beat of someone else's heart against his ears as he heard exclamations of joy and shouts echoing around him. He took in a shaky breath.

He could feel warm hands touching his arms, a small dainty one on his face almost near his mouth as though wanting to pry it open. And he laughed at that tiredly.

His laugh brought forth other laughs, albeit hysterical in their nature, relief seeping in the tones and four hands and/or paws try to soothe him as they continued to laugh. He hears voices of little children, surrounding him, yelling and shouting and crying, but this time not out of fear but rather out of _joy_…

…And Jack's heart warmed at the sounds and it skipped a beat as he smiled and nuzzled closer to the warmth and softness he was lying against.

"Yer alright, yer alright Frostbite. I got ya', ya' bloody _show pony_." And the voice breaks just a little at the last two words as the body around him shakes and even though he doesn't understand what was happening, the guardian of Fun nods and pats the arm around him.

That's when the young guardian felt small and dainty hands again, cradling his face. Jack opened his eyes blurrily, wondering when he had closed them and then he sees Tooth's face near his, their foreheads touching as the fairy laughs and her amethyst eyes sparkles with unshed tears.

"You came back." She said in a voice that broke from trying to hold back sobs. "You came back to us. Oh, _Jack_." And she cried again but this time not out of sadness but out of sheer happiness and joy and _gratitude_.

And as Tooth continued to cry, Jack suddenly felt someone clinging to his front shirt and the tooth fairy leans back just enough for the tired teen to make out golden sands and a hopeful Sandy clinging to him with big golden eyes.

Sandy makes a weak wave as his golden sand forms a snowflake before it turns into Jack. Suddenly the mini-Jack was looking around before he was tackled into a hug by sand forms of North, Tooth, Bunny, and Sandy. The sands disperse and formed into gentle waves that neared Jack's face and brushed against him gently in comfort.

"_Mal'chik._" A hoarse voice called out and before Jack knew it, there was a cry of protest and he was lifted into strong arms of a loving person he knew well. Jack grinds his teeth as he was moved, but he sighed in relief when the warmth of North hugging him, numbed the pain of his chest as his face lies on the broad shoulders of the man that was so very much like a father to him.

"Welcome back, Jack." North said as he hugs the frail immortal teen closer, Jack's eyes were half-lidded with tiredness but he made an effort to pat the other on the back as the old Santa shook slightly, like Bunny, while he hugs the fragile boy in his arms. "Welcome back, my boy."

And the tired guardian of Fun smiles as he closes his eyes and allows himself to be enveloped by the warmth, worry, and love of the people around him.

Sleep was waiting for him just by the corner but this time it wasn't as scary as before, especially since Jack knew that this time…

…he was going to wake up in the arms of his _family_.

* * *

"_You can't have fun all the time." And Jack looked up at his mother and smiled at her._

"_I know. But I'll have fun as long as I can because that's who I am." Jack shrugged as he watched his sister play hopscotch with children her age. He looked at her and gave a smile of yearning as he reached up a hand to his chest._

_Things were peaceful here, no fights to be fought, no children to be saved. He was in his house with his mother, and his sister was outside playing and smiling to her heart's content and Jack wouldn't wish it any other way._

_He has a home, he has a family._

_But he knew he couldn't stay._

"_I'm proud of you." His mother suddenly said and Jack looked up surprised. Brown eyes were looking at him warmly, full of love and understanding. Jack feels his chest constrict and his eyes burn._

"_M-Mom…"_

"_You turned out to be such a wonderful boy. We miss you so much." She continued and she sat next to him and pulled him into a hug, her right hand behind his neck and the left one running down his back in a comforting gesture, and Jack closed his hands into fists, trying to push down the urge to cling to her _and never _ever_ let go_._

"_There're so many things I wanted to say to you. There were many things your father wanted to teach you. You could've grown up and have a family of your own…" His mother whispered and Jack shivered at the warmth._

"_But I couldn't let Pippa die. She's more important to me than my own life." Jack whispered and his mother held him closer at that._

"_If only we'd been there, we could've-"_

"_It's fine. I'm fine now, mom. It had to happen, I don't know why, maybe because it was _fated_ to happen or something. Just please don't blame yourselves. I made a choice, it was _my_ choice." Jack said and he felt his mother nod, his head tucked under her chin. He felt something wet land on his hair and knew his mother was crying._

"_I know Jackson. You're a strong boy, a good boy." His mother said but her body still shook with sobs as she sniffed and tried to remain strong. "You're _our _precious boy. Don't you forget that."_

_Jack's eyes widened at that and his fists shook as he opened his hands and grabbed at his mother's skirt, feeling like a kid again. The scent of honey and soap on her lingered, making his eyes burn even more as he closed them. "I won't."_

"_We miss you so much."_

"_I know."_

"_We love you so much."_

"_I know."_

"_And even if you can't see us anymore… know that we are always there in your heart."_

_Jack's fingers tightened around the worn skirt of his mother and his shoulders heaved as he buried his face into his mother's shoulder. "I-I know."_

"_Jack?" The voice that had been calling out to him ever since he realized he had a past life, made Jack open his eyes. His sister and father were behind him, smiling. Jack tried to contain the pain in his heart at seeing them there, alive._

"_Hey kiddo, what's up?" He said in a forced tone as he smiled at Pippa who ran towards him, just as he straightened away from his mother. The small girl hugged Jack around the waist tightly and the teen vaguely remembered Jamie doing the same once, a long time ago._

"_Are you leaving already Jack?" She asked, her voice muffled and Jack's eyes widened as he looked at his mother who nodded. The young guardian relaxed._

"_Yeah. I'm needed elsewhere, sorry Pips." He said in a shaky exhale._

"_I don't want you to leave." She said in a childish undertone and Jack just smiled as he knelt and hug his sister to him._

"_I want to stay." Jack whispered so only she could hear him. He allowed the desperation and frustration to leak into his tone of voice. "So, _so _much. I want to stay here with you guys and spend the rest of our days laughing and playing and being a family again…"_

"_But…?" Pippa asked in a quiet tone._

_Jack smiled sadly. "But." He nodded, "But I have a new family now. And- and they need me. And I need them too, like how I've always needed you and mom and dad."_

"_Do they love you Jack?" Pippa asked and she leaned back to gaze earnestly into her brother's eyes. "Do they love you like we do?"_

_And Jack laughed, because he honestly didn't know the answer to that, "I hope they do."_

"_Then you have to go." Came a quiet and stern voice and Jack looked up, surprised, into the warm brown eyes of his father, his skin crinkled with kind smiling lines. "So that you'll know if they love you as much as you love them."_

_Jack swallowed and nodded as he stood up. His mother went past him to stand beside his father and even Pippa walked backwards towards their parents' arms. Jack felt his throat constrict and his heart felt heavy as he saw his family, smiling warmly at him from where they stood. His feet felt heavy and he wanted to run to them, hug them, and beg them to make him stay._

_To stay forever._

"_Goodbye Jackson." His father said, as though he knew the conflict that had sprung up in his son's mind. Jack looked up surprised. "We will meet again soon, I know."_

_Jack nodded, his voice thick with unshed tears. "Y-Yeah."_

"_We'll always be with you Jack." His mother reminded and Jack nodded once more his fists clenching as he turned to leave. Where he was going, he didn't know but his task right now was to carry his feet forward and away from the tempting sight behind him._

"_We'll wait for you Jack." And it was said in such a quiet tone that Jack almost didn't hear it. But he heard it and he almost looked back, almost ran back to the arms of his family, away from possibly more hurt and pain but-_

_Jack steeled himself, took a step forward, and another and another…_

_-Until he was running away from his family, from his sister, from his mother, and from his father, away from warmth and comfort and into the light filled with uncertainty and fear and maybe even rejection, as tears ran down his eyes never stopping even when he stepped into the light._

We love you.

We will _always_ love you.

_And he loved them too. So _so _much. _

_But he couldn't stay._

_And he _had_ to go back._

_It was time to go back._

* * *

Jack woke up to the soft pressure of someone wiping his face.

Blue eyes blinked, as he tried to focus on something other than a blurry mass of different colors. And it was only in his fifth blink that Jack managed to see that the one wiping his tears was none other than Toothiana.

"Jack? Are you alright?" She asked in a tone full of worry and Jack recoiled, immediately sitting up, thus, causing pain to explode on his he knew it, he was bending over groaning.

"Oi, easy there, mate! You're barely rested! I ain't moving anytime soon if I were you." A familiar Australian accent said as Jack felt paws on his arms trying to get him to lie back down.

"Good thing I'm not you then Kangaroo." Jack said with a wince. And he bit back a smile as he heard a grumble from the guardian of Hope. "I don't want to lie back down. Can't- can't I sit up or something?"

Just as Jack said that, a pillow was automatically propped up on the headboard thanks to some reliable dream sand, and Jack groaned in relief as he rested back onto the comfort of the pillow. "Thanks Sandy." He said, following the sand back to its owner, who gave him a double thumbs up.

So Jack sat there looking at the three guardians looking back at him. A few minutes of silence and staring prompted Jack to clear his throat and say, "So, what's up? Do you guys need anything? Because I don't know if you've noticed, but the whole staring thing is sorta creeping me out." He said casually with a grin.

Bunny sighed at the tone and Jack flinched at the dark bags under the green eyes and the twinkle of worry in them.

"Hey," He called out worriedly. "It looks like you've barely slept, Cottontail. Actually…" Jack looked at all of his fellow guardians. "It looks like you all haven't had a goodnight's rest yet." Jack commented as he looked at them with wide blue eyes. That's when he noticed a chair by the window, a familiar big lump sleeping on it. The young guardian's eyes narrowed. "And is that- is that _North_?"

"The gumby tired himself out waiting for yeh to wake up." Bunny murmured as he suppressed a yawn. "Sandy had to get physical to knock him out."

"Like you're the one to talk Bunny." Tooth giggled. "Eating some coffee flavored chocolate just so Sandy's dream sand wouldn't work on you."

Bunny grumbled something under his breath but didn't try to negate what the tooth fairy said. Jack stared at the older guardian with wide eyes.

"What? _Why?_"

Sandy rolled his eyes as he made sand figures of Jack on the bed, sleeping, and then Bunny hopping around every few minutes to check if he was okay. The little man laughed when Bunny suddenly jumped at that and started using his paws to swat the pesky dream sand away.

Jack continued to stare wide eyed at Sandy before looking at Bunny who rubbed his eyes with a slight curse. "Bunny, you-"

Tooth interrupted, "Oh Jack, Bunny was worried about you. We were all worried, after the whole thing with Krampus-"

At the name, Jack tensed and looked at Tooth with narrowed eyes. "Krampus, where is he? The children? Are the children safe? Did you get them out-?"

"Calm down mate." Bunny stated gruffly and Jack looked up to see green eyes looking at him in annoyance but with fondness. "Krampus is well taken care of. The children are fine, tough little ankle-biters, they're like you in a way."

Jack snickered at that. "Yeah, don't underestimate us kids in the _naughty list_." Bunny rolled his eyes.

"Anyway," Tooth perked in to avoid fights so early. "They all got back to their homes. The news ruled everything out as a kidnapping and said that there's an unsung hero out there that saved all of them…" Tooth gave Jack a meaningful look. "And they're fine and North's really happy, because most of them had gotten into the Nice List now- actually I think _all _of them went into the Nice list-"

Jack choked at that, "Huh? All of them? So quickly? Why?"

Tooth exchanged looks with Sandy and the guardian of Dreams smiled as he brought over a cloud of sand filled with something, and laid it on Jack's bed.

Jack blinked when he saw different assortments of cards, chocolates, flowers, and origamis scattered in front of him. "This is?"

"It's from all the kids you saved." Tooth said gently and Jack's eyes snapped to her in shock. "They wanted to thank you and wish you to get better soon."

"T-The kids?" Jack said in a thick voice as he swallowed. "T-They know about me?" He said as he reached out a hand at a card where on the front was a childish drawing of Jack with his arms spread wide and behind him were the children cheering him on.

"'Course they do. They _know_ and _believe_ in ya'." Bunny said gently. "They _saved _yer life with their belief. And because of that, we, the guardians are eternally grateful to them."

"That's why North placed them all on the _Nice List_. They deserve it for _saving _and _believing _in you." Tooth added and behind her Sandy nodded vigorously, showing a sand image of Sandy bowing to the children.

"I- I don't understand." Jack said as his bandaged fingers curled around the card. "They should be in the _Nice List_ for being brave kids not- not for saving someone like _me_." He murmured.

"You seem to be under- eh, what do they call it? Misconcertion, Jack." A voice thick with sleep suddenly said. Jack looked up to see North getting up, stretching his arms and yawning.

Tooth fluttered aside, saying, "You mean _misconception_, North."

"Ah, yes, that word. _Misconcertion._"

"_Misconception._" Tooth said clearly and Jack let out a chuckle while Bunny rolled his eyes.

"Yes, well Jack. To put things very simply and to be straightforward." North walked towards Jack and placed his hands on the narrow shoulders. "You are very important to us Jack Frost. Very, very important. And we do not mean that you are important because of your powers, no." He added when he saw the expression on the other's face. "We mean _important_ as in-you are a family to us Jack. Losing you… losing you would be like…" North said trying to compare the pain of losing Jack to something that words could describe.

Bunny stepped- or rather hopped- up to the rescue. "It would be like losing Easter all over again, Frostbite."

"It would be like losing all of the teeth to Pitch again, only this time with no chance of getting them back at all." Tooth said quietly, as she sat by Jack's bedside and took his hand.

Sandy made figures with his sand, saying simply, _It would like be a world with no dreams to light the way._

"And it would be like no more Christmas to bring wonder to little children." North said simply. "It would be like _all _of that Jack. Only much, _much _worse."

Jack's breath hitched as he looked at all the earnest gazes of the guardians. Did they really feel that way? Had they truly cared for him so much?

The burning feeling in Jack's eyes returned as he looked down and clenched his hands. "I- I don't know what to say."

"How about, 'I'll never risk my life like that again?'" Bunny said with a snort.

"Or how about…" Tooth said softly. "…never worrying your family again?"

Jack stopped breathing as he looked up, eyes wide. "Family?"

"Yes. That is what we are, are we not?" North said, challenging the others to say otherwise. "We are family! Family worry about each other and care about each other! And we worry and care for you and that makes us family, yes?"

"It's more complicated than that, ya' galah." Bunny murmured with a sigh. "In the end, it depends if both parties _want _to be a family." He said seriously and the old pooka turned to Jack. "So, what do you say Frostbite?"

Jack turned to look at the Easter warrior and half-joked, "What? No catch?" He said trying not to show how overwhelmed he was of what was happening.

"Not on yer nelly mate." Bunny snorted but then he added, "We're serious though Jack. We see each other as family, but in the end yeh get the last say."

Jack nodded absently as he looked down at the cards and chocolates and an uncertain smile graced his lips. "This is a tiny bit weird and- and overwhelming actually. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole _being believed_ in thing and then wow- a _family_ just like that."

The four guardians were stiff as they waited for Jack reply, but the young yet old spirit just gave them a reassuring smile.

"Life couldn't get better than that, right?" He said and Tooth perked up at those words.

"Does that mean-?" She asked excitedly, almost buzzing with uncontained glee.

Jack sighed like a huge weight came off his shoulders. "I came back because I didn't want to lose you guys, I didn't want to lose another _family_ without setting things right. So, whether you like it or not…" Jack shrugged grinning, "…you're stuck with me."

Sandy shook his head.

"You are making it sound like we are getting worse end of bet." North laughed loudly and he grabbed Jack by the shoulders, surprising the injured teen, and gave him a kiss on each cheek like that time he became a guardian. "Welcome to family Jack." He said warmly and proudly. Jack blinked and started to smile but then suddenly he was yanked down by a certain Kangaroo.

"Damn it, North! The kid's injured! Don't go grabbing him just like that!" Bunny scolded the Cossack who laughed loudly.

"Dah, but Jack is strong like steel!" North said in a booming voice as Tooth fluttered around the eternal teen, checking if he jostled any of his injuries-

"And are your molars okay? Are the incisors working right?" Tooth asked frantically.

-or rather if his teeth were still in the right places.

Jack laughed at the guardians' distress, assuring Tooth that yes, his teeth were still all there and at the same time he rolled his eyes and gave a passing wink to Sandy who gave him a thumbs up, understanding his silent message.

Three balls of dream sand later, Jack watched in amusement as the guardians all snored around him. Bunny's coffee flavored chocolate had thankfully worn off so he was able to join the others as they slept peacefully.

The guardian of Fun grinned and tried not to laugh loudly as the dreams of carrot, candy canes and molars merged and began to form a funny looking orchestra. "Still wishing I had a camera."

Sandy rolled his eyes and Jack saw that he was playing with one more ball of sand and the youngest guardian gulped, holding his hands up in a placating manner, "Now Sandy-"

The guardian of Dreams winked and threw the ball right at Jack's face effectively knocking him out as he fell back unto his bed snoring loudly. The oldest guardian flew towards the others and settled himself near North, closing his eyes to join his companions in slumber.

Phil came in several minutes later and was able to witness the strange dream phenomena happening on top of the guardians heads- their dreams mixing and creating a funny orchestra- before he went out to get more blankets… And maybe even a camera.

* * *

"JACK!" A screaming Jamie greeted the winter sprite one Christmas morning in Burgess, as snow finally fell in heaps, fast and beautiful while Jack landed gracefully in the middle of the Bennett's lawn.

The guardian of Fun tried not to wince as Jamie collided with his _almost_ healed chest, and he let out a winded laugh instead as he hugged the other back. "Hey Jamie, it's been awhile hasn't it?"

"Been _awhile_? Is that all you have to say? I was so worried when Abby found your staff in the middle of the snow and I thought the worst thing happened to you and the guardians didn't come to stop by and tell me _what was going on_ and Frosty fell and- and it stopped _snowing _and for a moment I _thought_-" The young Bennett said in a fast paced tone that made Jack laugh.

"Whoah, whoah… Slow down kid. Don't forget to breathe now. I'm fine see? And I'm sorry for scaring you. The guardians were sorta rushing to my rescue which was why they had no time to come and talk to you." Jack said with a smile as he kneeled to see eye-to-eye with his first believer. "But I'm fine now okay? I'm a little behind on my snow rounds but I promise you, you won't be having school for the next two weeks as a treat and also as a reward for helping the guardians."

Jamie smiled in relief and nodded, "Thanks Jack."

Jack waved a casual bandaged hand, "No problem." He said but then Jamie caught his hand and looked at his injuries with wide eyes. His brown eyes observed Jack for a moment and the youngest guardian tried not to flinch at the scrutiny.

"Jack, you look like you've barely healed! Shouldn't you be resting?" Jamie said in a nagging tone.

"I'm fine really! These bandages are just- _uh_ – for show." The winter sprite shrugged but then winced when he jostled his injured shoulder. The last light was not fooled.

"I can't believe the guardians let you go looking like this!" Jamie said, and then his eyes narrowed slightly, "You didn't trick them or anything just to get away right?"

"Uhm…" Jack said sheepishly but then he put on a mischievous grin, "I _may_ have had to escape out of the window and in the process _ice_ Phil to the wall to get away. Why?"

Jamie frowned up at his favorite guardian, unimpressed. "Jack."

"_What?_" The winter spirit said in a hurt tone. "They were getting overbearing! Cottontail wouldn't let me out of his sight and Sandy kept knocking me out whenever I tried to get up and fly around!" He complained and Jamie laughed at that, causing Jack to look at him in confusion. "What?"

"You're enjoying the attention!" Jamie teased and Jack flushed.

"I'm not!" He said in a stubborn tone that made the male Bennett laugh harder.

"It's written all over your face! You _like _being coddled by the guardians!" Jamie Bennett said as he wiped stray tears from his eyes. "Anyway Jack, we both know they're only acting that way because they're worried about you!"

The teen huffed and crossed his arms but a soft expression overcame his face. "Yeah, but it's still annoying."

Jamie shrugged straightening his winter hat. "Families are annoying, you get used to it. But that's when you know that they truly care. It's better than being ignored right?"

Jack smiled at that, "_Way _better." He and Jamie exchanged grins at that.

"So are we up for some sledding or-"

"FROSTBITE!" Jack froze and Jamie looked behind him just in time to see a rabbit hole open up and a certain Easter Bunny hopped out.

"Oops, looks like I've got to rain check you on that little buddy." Jack said as he took to the skies immediately and flew away laughing.

"Oi! Get yer skinny arse back here Frostbite! Yeh haven't taken yer medicine yet ya gumby!" Bunny shouted and Jamie's eyes widened when he saw a medicine bottle and a spoon on the Easter Bunny's hands.

"Make me, Peter Cottontail!" Jack shouted back as he flew towards the forest.

"Oh no, you don't want to race a rabbit mate!" The guardian of Hope shouted as he ran passed Jamie and after Jack. The last light laughed himself silly as he imagined the six-foot-one warrior forcing the winter sprite to drink his medicine. So with that thought, Jamie ran inside the house to get his sled and coax his friends to go sledding with him. It looks like Jack would be busy for awhile, being _coddled_ by his family.

And so, later, Bunny will _inevitably_ catch Jack Frost and drag him successfully back to Santoff Claussen.

Later, Jack will be sulking as he is given a two hour lecture by Tooth about taking better care of himself.

Later, Sandy will try to cheer him up by creating dolphins made of dream sand and Jack would grumble at the fact that he was being treated like a child despite being three hundred years old.

But later, when North comes back from his _Christmas rounds_, Jack would see the happy faces of the guardians, the yetis, and the elves and forget all about his annoyance.

He would be dragged into a guardian group hug and would pretend to be annoyed by it, but deep inside it was quite the opposite.

The smile on Jack's face, as North holds him, Bunny, and Tooth up while Sandy hugs everyone as much as he can with his limited arm length, will be one of love and happiness. And if the guardians saw this and hugged him just a little tighter because of it, no one says a word.

Much, much later the guardians will gather in front of the fire place to exchange gifts, laugh, talk, and to be a family, and Jack will just sip his eggnog quietly as he watches the guardians with warm eyes.

And later, when everyone falls asleep against each other; Bunny near the fire place, North beside him as Tooth and Sandy are propped up against the Cossack, Jack would drag heavy blankets over them as they sleep and try not to laugh out loud as Bunny's foot somehow ends up near North's face.

And Jack would sit there, in a warm armchair, by the side of a dwindling fire as he thinks about _later_ when everyone wakes up and greets him a 'Merry Christmas'.

Because there _is_ a later and there _will be _a later…

…And none is more pleased by this than Jack.

* * *

**Notes: **Guys… It's over.

OH MY GOSH IT'S OVER!

The Krampus arc has ended! _Finally_ ended and if _anyone _is curious as to what happened to _Krampus_ well, I'll get back to you on that after I celebrate the end of this arc.

So once again, to **hisokauzumaki**, all credits go to him for the success of this arc, he prompted it and gave the amazing idea so guys, _thank this person_ not me XD

**Review Replies:**

**TheVictoryAngelofStrife** Thankfully, there are no more arcs and this is the last one, oh gosh finally. Now I can work on the three other prompts :D I hope it won't be as long as this one XD Thanks again for the amazing titles! I'll get to editing as soon as I can!

**StarfireRocks **Haha saying it's the _best_ is too much XD I read your review on _Iced Hope_! Thanks so much for reviewing both of my stories! I'm honored to have caught your attention and I hope my fic continues to bring you Joy :D

**IWillNeverStopFangirling **Thank you so much! Your compliment made my day but I'm not really that good of a writer and I'm sure you're already a good writer just the way you are :D

**Book girl fan **Indeed you are right. I don't know what I was doing while writing the guardians' points of view but I think I manage to come across Tooth's and Bunny's well. I was nearly asleep when I was writing North's and Sandy. And the six hundred review thing is just me setting myself up to create more chapters in the future :D

**SpaceCaseWriter** Yes, I know what you mean, I do have some errors. I was just so tired and I hope I can get to editing them soon. Thank you so much for pointing it out and also for reviewing :D

**JayaEmera **Yes, he is! But the arc has ended here and I will miss the Krampus arc XD And yes I know what you mean about Jack breaking into a song, I can't imagine him being anything other than a good singer XD And the Sandy part was just created by me randomly glaring at the screen XD

**Dragowolf **Thanks for saying that my friend :D But please stop crying now, the Krampus arc has ended and let us rejoice to the start and continuation of other stories, hurrah!

**Angelwhisperer **Thank you for that honest opinion! I know it was kinda draggish. I was even staring at it and saying 'where the heck is the dialogue' XD And I hope you enjoy Krampus 7 and thank you for the 'happy writing's

**ChocolateKisses9 **Thank you my friend for your review! I am honored that you like the chapters and continue to read them XD I hope you enjoy this chapter too and thank you for the wonderful compliment :D

**Jesters of the Moon **The Krampus arc has finally ended and I can finally start on the other requests, I am sorry for making you and the others wait so long! I'm so happy you enjoyed the last chapter and I hope you enjoy this one as well. Cheers!

Once again, this chapter was not rechecked (man I'm getting too lazy for this XD)

So guys, this is the end of Krampus. Yes, a successful arc it was but now it is time to move on! Thank you for all the wonderful support, hugs and kisses to all of you!

By the way, important announcement, we are gonna _move_ the **first three reviewers **thing for the eighteenth chapter because I wanna make sure first that I finish the other three requests before I hunt down potential prompters :D

So my exams are coming up again guys, and I know you know what it means.

Yes, studying _again_. *GROANS*

Anyway, I'll still try my best to update regularly and thank you for the overwhelming support and love and favorites and reviews!

To the next chapter we shall meet again! HUGS AND KISSES!

For further updates on how I am progressing per chapter feel free to visit my tumblr which is still under construction: **ilyamatsuna7227li. tumblr. com**

Remove the spaces, you will find a few fics there I have yet to publish and a few drabbles and you can send requests there too :D There are also a few fanarts of _Iced Hope _which I hope you enjoy :D

Reviews are loved, thank you to all those who reviewed and favorited and followed and silently read on XD

So I guess that's all! Until next time then folks!


	19. Frosted Perfection

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **Jack is good at doing many things and the guardians figure out why. The perfection in Jack's every talent and action speaks of three centuries worth of loneliness. There's only so much a spirit who is unseen, unheard, and unloved could do.

**Jesters of the Moon **_(the first reviewer of the tenth chapter)_**: **_Jack has been alone for quite some time. In that span of time, he must have tried to keep his mind off of loneliness somehow, right? So maybe in his 300 years alone, he has developed a skill due to being able to practice all the time. Maybe he could be an excellent singer or sculptor, etc. and the guardians can catch him in the act; lots of angst to ensue with them realizing the reason why he's so good at it. _

**Frosted Perfection**

* * *

_Painting_

* * *

_**Past…**_

The first time Jack holds a brush he is enamored.

He has been frosting for over sixty-six thousand, seven hundred and ninety-five days and marvels over one person painting at the landscape of snow before him. Jack floats above, watching as the other shivers and sneezes at the natural cold the winter sprite brings with him wherever he goes.

The frost Jack creates as he walks, flies, and gently ices windows and rocks with his staff is nothing short of an art. But over the course of one hundred eighty three years, he often runs across other spirits who calls him a destroyer, a harbinger of death.

And as Jack leans forward and watches the painter patiently, observing as he mixes colors and smiles at his work, Jack thinks, it is not his fault if _this time_ he wishes to create rather than destroy.

* * *

_**Present…**_

Jack remembers the first time he ever tried his hand at painting. He laughs as he remembers the frosted brush, the days when the paint would freeze over when he finally got the brush to thaw from his frosted touch. The nights he spent by the lake of Burgess painting on rocks, knowing they would be gone in the morning from all the melted snow.

Jack remembers the boy that so wanted to create something so beautiful, to be seen, to be told and praised for _creating_ rather than destroying this time.

The youngest guardians purses his lips as he pays attention to detail, expertly painting leftover googies that ran away and got lost when Bunny was making his preparations for Easter. Over hundreds of them had gathered in front of him- or rather their tiny little legs frozen in place so that they would not escape as Jack makes his masterpiece.

Jack is the harbinger of winter, the death of the seasons, he is a destroyer and he makes a mess wherever he goes.

"It's finally done!" Jack shouts as he jumps up in the air and whoops loudly, waving the egg in his hand. Below him the eggs looked up as Jack carefully floats back down and places the last egg on the pile before icing it.

"I hope Cottontail likes it." He whispers to himself, his happy and confident expression being replaced by nervousness for once. He shakes his head and pulls his hoodie up before turning away. "I should leave before he comes back, he- he won't like seeing me in his Warren."

And just like that, Jack is gone.

* * *

Bunnymund comes back after a long day. Pleased at seeing the happy faces of the kids and even more pleased that no unwanted blizzards happened. In the back of his mind he was worried, he remembered being slightly hard on Jack a few days before, firmly telling him to keep away, but he pushes these worries at the back of his mind as he finally entered his home.

The sentinels greeted him as always with their frozen happy faces. Some were even doing happy jiggly dances with their legs and the old pooka raised an eyebrow at that until-

A whiff of fresh snow, a shiver down his spine. A pink nose twitched and the old warrior's long ears shifted as he looked around with narrowed green eyes, but it wasn't one of anger or annoyance.

"Frost?" Bunny called as he hopped along the path where he saw melted frost on the grass, creating a unique path of dewdrops. At the name of the winter sprite, the sentinels shifted excitedly again but Bunny wasn't paying attention to them as he walked. "Frostbite? Jack, are ya' here, mate?"

No answer and Bunny's ears swiveled in discomfort as he frowned. He turned to his guardian stones and asks, "He's not here anymore, is he?"

The sentinels shook side to side, telling their guardian that _no, Jack left moments ago._ The old guardian sighed as he continued to hop along the path, one or two sentinels following him as he made his way across to the Warren, still following the strong scent of the snow and wondering what Jack had been doing.

"I swear, if it's another prank, I ain't gonna forgive him." Bunny muttered, his good mood ruined by the fact that Jack left so quickly before even talking to him. He continued to hop until he caught sight of a little googie walking depressingly across the grass, a strange but fine blue shade across his shell.

Aster stoops down and extends a paw as the googie climbs onto it and he gave it a good once over, the strange blue painted part of the egg only on one side, the rest in white. Strangely the blue reminded him of Jack's hood and the pale white was the googie's natural color but it was also the tone of Jack's skin.

Curious, the guardian of Hope let the egg go. "Show me where ya' came from." He said and the googie wobbled away from him and into a slightly uneven ground of the warren that shaped it into a small cliff. Bunny followed after it and gently pushed branches and bushes out of the way as he headed to the edge of the cliff, looking down at a cool and hidden glade of the Warren.

The Pooka quickly followed after the egg when it jumped off the cliff but stopped before he fell, making him call out, "Oi!" But the guardian's call out was cut off when he looked down at the glade and his green eyes widened.

Right in front of him, hundreds of his hidden googies were sitting on the cool glade, forming a group of different colors. But it wasn't the gathering of the eggs that left him speechless, no, it was the painting they formed when they were grouped together.

"_Blimey_…" Bunny took a step forward in awe, taking a better look.

The eggs were painted beautifully and evenly. Blue in different variations from midnight to celeste, white and silver combinations, green the color of life and newly sprouted plants, grey the color of Aster's fur and dark grey the color of his markings.

The googies formed a gigantic painting, only seen above the small cliff Bunny was on. It was the picture of a winter sprite, knees hugged to his chest, surrounded by snow and white and midnight blue, hood up, eyes covered by hair as white as the snow he controls. He had a hand held out and in front of him was no doubt a taller being, a rabbit with sleek and soft looking fur, a paw extended as though to pull the other up, green eyes determined, full of hope…

…and _kind_.

Bunny choked and almost fell but instead he collapsed into a stunned silence, awkwardly sitting down on the edge of the uneven ground looking at the amazing picture that could only by a person who had been there the whole time.

Someone who was not Aster.

It could only be the earlier intruder in Bunny's Warren.

* * *

_**Flashback…**_

"_Can't you do anything besides make a mess?" _Bunny accused the Winter sprite, poking him on the chest with his paint brush when the youngest guardian succeeded on pulling another prank on him.

Jack laughed an easy laugh at him, hands held up in mock surrender, one hand on his shepherd's staff. Maybe if he'd look closer he'd see the white knuckled grip the other had on it. _"Hey, I'm a talented person. I know a lot of things. I'd even dare say I'm multi-talented."_

Bunny raised a disbelieving eyebrow at that statement. _"Doesn't seem like that to me. Besides, where'd you find the time to be talented?" _And he turned away, grumbling in annoyance.

His long ears twitched as he heard a soft mumble coming from the other. _"Trust me, Cottontail. Three hundred years… it's a_ long_ time to practice a lot of things."_ A bitter tone whispered tiredly.

_**End of Flashback…**_

* * *

Bunny buries his face in his paws, unable to look at the picture anymore. A picture filled with hope and longing _asking _for forgiveness from the rabbit that was supposed to represent _Hope _and _Life _himself…

Jack wasn't supposed to be the one asking forgiveness, this Bunny knows.

This time, it was Bunnymund who actually owes the other an apology.

And the Pooka couldn't feel worse than he already did,

* * *

_Ice Sculpting_

* * *

_**Past…**_

Jack remembers the calluses, the scratches, and the bleeding of his pale and small hands when he first tried ice sculpting. Thinking that he'd be an immediate professional with ice sculpting was wrong. It did not mean that by being Winter incarnate and the creator of Ice that he was immediately going to be good at it.

Good was very, _very _far from it.

"Ouch!" Jack, barely five years old since being born from is lake, winces as he tries to fashion a small house with the ice he created from his staff. He frowns at the imperfect creation and sighs, deciding to do it again. He had all the time in the world, true, but he really wanted to finish this quickly.

The wind curls around him, ruffling his hair gently and questioningly as Jack winces again from the sharp tools he uses as he fashioned the house.

"Oh? This?" He says cheerfully, grinning. "I'm making this for a little girl from the village. She keeps going to my lake and she seems pretty sad so I wanted to make this for her."

The wind blew harder and Jack laughs as it tries to help him by pushing on his tools or else delaying the melting of the ice, which was unnecessary since Jack was like a human snowman with cold hands that would make the ice freeze rather than melt.

Jack grins and looks down at his creation and smiles gently, "Thank you. I'll do my best."

* * *

It took Jack _fifty-five years_ to finally make a decent ice sculpture and everyday he goes and talks to the girl by his lake, telling her to wait a little more because he was almost finished. He notices her getting older but thinks it was just a strange human thing, maybe shape shifting or something like the dryads did, and he thinks nothing more of the wrinkles on her face or the faraway look in her eyes that gets dimmer every time he sees her.

Yeah- when _he _sees _her._

Because obviously, _she _cannot see _him_.

Like everybody else.

But Jack doesn't mind. She visits his lake, even though doesn't visit _him_- he heard her brother died in his lake, and Jack is sorry he could not have saved him at the time before his birth- he still appreciates the scraps of company.

The day Jack finishes the sculpture he flies eagerly to the lake and sits on the center, eager for the lady to come by and see the small sculpture of her house he placed at the side of his lake earlier. A few people came and pass, wearing black clothes that stood out in the white of the snow but Jack ignores them and his curiosity for the first time, opting to stay and wait.

It was only three days later that Jack thinks that _maybe_ the lady wasn't coming today.

Jack worries, takes the sculpture and flies to the house of the lady he has known for years. He finds it and is shocked to see at how run down it was, no longer the warm little house he used to peek through during Christmas so many years ago. It looked abandoned, old, and sad.

"I can't believe Pippa Overland really is gone." A middle-aged lady whispers and Jack catches it as he turns abruptly. Pippa was the name of the girl or lady that visits- _visited _him! Where was she? And what do they mean by _gone_?

"I heard she's buried by the forest, near the lake her brother died in. Is that true?" Another whispers and Jack was off even before they whisper the last question, flying towards the forest in excitement.

Jack finds not the old lady that used to sit by the side of the lake, talking to someone- Jack presumes to be her brother's spirit long gone. Instead he finds a stone with similar symbols of the girl's name she wrote so long ago on the snow.

_**R.I.P.**_

_**Pippa Overland  
**_**A wonderful, caring, and loving grandmother, mother, daughter, and sister.**

_As soon go kindle fire with snow, as seek to quench the fire of love with words._

Jack could not read the other words, but he traces and recognizes the name on the headstone and he feels his heart clench, his eyes widen and burn with a strange sensation. He does not know what the stone stands for, he does not know where the lady is. But he _feels- _knows that he will not see her anymore.

And that strikes something in Jack and for the first time in his life he feels cold. He shudders and places the carefully made gift in front of the gravestone and stands up, his legs feel like lead as he walks away and swings his staff rather meaninglessly.

Jack does not know yet what death is at the time but he assumes enough to know that he does not like it. But with his limited knowledge of the world he draws one conclusion, though:

_Death_ was the _permanent_ way of taking something or someone precious to Jack.

* * *

_**Present…**_

North notices that Jack has been in personal study for several hours. He left the boy there after he had to attend to several redesigning of his toys which was hours ago. The teen sprite had a deep look of concentration on his face, as though he was trying to remember something very important, but _what_, North did not know.

So he comes back, after hours and hours of pouring over blue prints and redesigning of toys, to his office only to find Jack still there. But he wasn't thinking anymore, no, rather Jack seemed to be doing something very important. He had the same look of concentration on his face and North notices the tools for ice sculpting on the other's hands.

"Ah, you are sculpting something, Jack?" North asks in a low voice because he does not want to startle the poor boy and cause him to create a mistake.

But Jack doesn't even flinch. He lets out a mild hum of confirmation as he continued what he was doing and North watches in wonder as long fingers do their jobs expertly, ice picks and die grinders used naturally with utmost safety as Jack does his work.

The techniques were something to be expected from the maker of Ice himself. It was as though he knew which bits of the ice were in danger of breaking off with too much force and which parts of the ice were perfect for a certain curvature. It was like the _ice _was a part of Jack himself- and North wouldn't be shocked if it was so.

Although the old Santa could not see what the other was doing, he had no doubt in his mind that it was a perfect little piece of _something_ what with the utmost care and precision Jack handled it.

"Done." Jack says a few minutes later as he takes off the goggles he used to protect his eyes from as he chipped and carved perfection from ice. North was eager to see what the young boy had created but before he could ask, Jack tosses him the goggles and grins.

"Thanks for letting me use your tools North. I'll see you at the meeting tomorrow, okay?" The guardian of Fun says with a wave as he grabs his staff and jumps towards the nearest window to free fall before the wind catches him expertly.

North braces himself for the cold gust before sighing at the abrupt departure. Maybe he could ask Jack about his secrets for ice sculpting next time.

However, just as the guardian of Wonder turns to leave, he notices a small and familiar blue doll. It seems like the youngest guardian forgot his matryoshka!

He could've given it tomorrow when they met again, but North was eager to find an excuse to talk to the other about his skills, so instead he grabs his coat and two spare snow globes. He pockets the other and takes the other one to shake, "Burgess' lake." He whispers and throws.

* * *

North does not see Jack when he steps out of the portal. It takes him a few minutes of wandering around before he sees a small clearing in the forest.

Despite his size, North was able to walk stealthily to that spot of the forest- he _is_ Santa Claus after all- without being seen. He sees a familiar blue hooded spirit and was about to call out happily but then he shifted his eyes and freezes.

Jack seems to be kneeling, head bowed in front of a headstone.

"Jack?" North whispers instead but the sprite had begun to talk.

"Hey there Pippa, I finally remembered who you _really _are." Jack says in a breathless voice that seemed winded but also _so sad_ that it breaks North's heart. "I haven't got _all _of my memories back, but Tooth says that it just takes time to regain everything so I have to wait a bit- but- but I remember you."

Silence and North kneels down behind a tree, staring at the frost sprite whose shoulders were shaking slightly, staff still standing tall as the other leans against it for support.

"You're my _sister_." He said in that same breathless voice. "My _sister_. I don't remember everything about us, but I at least remember _that_. I remember how important you were to me and how much fun I had everyday with you and mum."

Jack chokes a bit and North digs his hand on the tree bark in front of him, wanting to reach out but he knows the other would run away if he ever realizes the old Santa was there.

"I'm- I'm happy you came to visit me at the lake everyday." Jack reaches up an arm to rub at his eyes. "Even- even though you couldn't see me, I was happy. _Thank you_."

There was silence and the quiet atmosphere of the forest was only broken by the hiccups coming from Jack, reminding North of how _young_ Jack really was. An immortal teenager. Forever frozen in that body that barely hit puberty. Sometimes, North wondered why Manny chose to turn a boy so young.

"So, I-I made you this anyway. Today is a special day for you and- and I remembered making one a few centuries back for you but I wasn't able to give it to you on time back then, so… sorry." Jack said as he took deep breaths and took out the sculpture he made at North's. "Here. I was able to make it on time today. I guess, _years_ of doing this finally paid off." He said quietly as he placed it carefully in front of the gravestone.

Jack stared at it for a few seconds before he stood up, rubbed his eyes, and brushed off the snow on his pants and hoodie. He turned away, exhaling loudly as though trying to get himself back together.

"Happy birthday and death anniversary, P-Pippa." Jack's voice breaks at the name and he bites his lips as he swings his staff and the wind comes strong and carries him away in a flurry of snowflakes.

North stands at his hiding place for a few more minutes before he steps out courageously and approaches the grave hidden in the forest.

He kneels down in front of the stone and stares at the centuries old grave mark. The writing was no longer distinguishable and the stone was crumbling to pieces at the side, looking like some old artifact. The older guardian wonders how come no scientist has come to take this away yet for history research, but he guesses Jack has something to do with it.

He looks down the grave and finally his eyes see what he is looking for.

There are several broken pieces and left over ice surrounding it, proof that there used to be more sculptures but they were either melted by the sun or else were broken because of wandering animals. The rough texture and uneven tone of the ground spoke of hundreds of sculptures placed before, and North feels his heart clench again.

He reaches out and very carefully takes the lone sculpture Jack placed recently.

It was a small sculpture of four people, a _family_.

There was a mother, a father, a little sister, and of course Jack. The parents had their arms around their children and the children held unto the hands of their parents. They were standing together, their faces in an eternal smile, showing off a past happiness that Jack yearned for so much.

The great big hands shake a bit as a tear slides down the old Cossack's eyes and unto the perfect sculpture. The perfect crevices, the perfect carving of the faces from a three hundred year old memory spoke volumes of Jack's years when he was left alone, forgotten, and walked through.

The skill speaks of years of perfection with no other occupation to be done. Talent crafted and persevered because no one could give Jack the time of day he craved, wanted, and _needed_.

And it takes North an entire hour to stare at the piece of perfection before he finally puts it down in front of Pippa's grave and rises to go back to his home, to the North Pole.

He forgets the blue little doll he was supposed to give to Jack, he forgets the question he wished to ask Jack with regards to his ice sculpting abilities. North forgets and does not bother to remember as he takes out a globe and throws it rather meaninglessly.

The portal appears before him and he stares at it and sighs, feeling older than before. He does not know what to do… what action is there to be done towards a sin that has already been committed? What do you do to take away the three centuries of loneliness you enforced on a winter sprite you owe everything to?

North does not know the answer to that, but he vows he will find an answer for that soon.

And with new determination, the guardian of Wonder steps through the portal and to home.

He vows to make things right.

* * *

**Information: **_Yes_, Jack's sister is really named **Pippa Overland**. This was announced a long time ago by an ROTG fan whose father had a job in dreamworks studios so yeah, you can't change my mind about this.

_As soon go kindle fire with snow, as seek to quench the fire of love with words. _**William Shakespeare**

**Notes: **And here is the new chapter, I _think _this will expand to at least two or three chapters. The next one is of Tooth and Sandy and then the whole guardians. I hope you guys enjoy this, the information regarding the ice sculpting tools was found in google :D

To **Jesters of the Moon**, I hope I did your prompt justice my friend!

**Review Replies:**

**Magiccatprinces** Oh, thank you for saying so! I'm honored and I hope you enjoy this chapter too :D

**JayaEmera: **What if I told you I made a one shot for that a _long time ago_, but I never posted it here because I let my sister read it and she was like: No. XDD Ahaha, I didn't think it was too horrible though but she told me not to post it XD

**PippaFrost: **Yes, I will keep writing, worry not about that. With regards to Krampus, I'll keep him out of my sight for awhile until I finish the requests of the others. But I hope you enjoy this chapter anyway :D

**Night-Fury1: **Oh, thanks I love you too XD

**Alternateapocalypse: **Yes, he is somewhat like the guardian of rainfall in chapter five XD

**Book girl fan: **Wow, its cold there? Man I'm jealous its so hot here in our country XD And thanks for the review :D

**dizappearingirl: **Thank you but I'm focusing first on the prompts of the first three reviewers of the tenth chapter and I'm sure one of them requested the next chapter of Hibernation so it won't be long now :D Thanks for reviewing every chapter so far :D

**XMidnightAuroraX: **Your sister sounds adorable, thank you for the review and I'm happy you enjoyed!

**TheVictoryAngleofStrife: **I wish I had time to edit the **title** chapters maybe later when my head stops aching! Thank you for the support and another wonderful title.

**beanie-art1: **Oh! BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Oh my gosh that's such a wonderful present!

**DaisukethePenguin: **Yes, there will be a second part to **Rain**! Thanks for enjoying :D

**Ihearthorses6000: **Thank you very much, I will do my best and keep writing to make everyone as happy (or as sad seeing since most of the fics are angst) as I can with my updates!

So yeah that is all guys! I hope you enjoy the update :D

Please review and I hope you enjoy!


	20. Lovingly Hate

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **Five times Jack says 'I hate you' to the guardians and the one time he said 'I love you'.

**Prompt:** _5 times jack says "i hate you" to the guardians and the 1 time he says "i love you"_

**Lovingly Hate**

* * *

_Five times Jack said 'I hate you'_

* * *

**I. **"_I hate you…_" Jack said with a pout as North laughed at the youngest guardian's distress. Jack was once again trapped into the infamous sack the yetis used when he was first summoned as a guardian. Although this time, instead of being completely submerged by the red cloth, Jack's head was out of the sack this time to allow him to speak his annoyance at the trick.

"Ah, but Jack, I remember you say to me you like being shoved in sack and tossed into magic portal!" North said with a wink as Jack guffawed.

"Sarcasm! Jeez, North! It was freaking sarcasm!" Jack said as he struggled in the sack only to end up falling to the side. The elves jingled and laughed at the winter sprite as Jack glared at them. "When I get out of here, you're all going to be _elfsicles_."

The elves stopped laughing at that declaration.

"Now Jack, do not be mean to elves. You can throw them into the oven later-"

The elves jingled in shock as they stare at Jack wide-eyed. Jack shook his head in confusion. "I never said-"

"What? Can Santa not make a suggestion?" North said innocently and the elves all jumped before they began screaming their heads off, running away. Jack gave the guardian of wonder a look.

"Haha, funny North. Your elves are going to end up in a strike." Jack warned and North just laughed, holding his belly.

"Nah, they will only cause massive panic for few days. No biggie."

"Wait. Massive what-?"

"Anyway, enough about my revenge plans for a few yetis! We have to focus on getting you gift-wrapped Jack!" North said with a wide smile and Jack gaped at him.

"Gift wrapped- Why the hell are you gift wrapping me- WAIT! NORTH! This isn't funny! I could suffocate-! Phil get that tape away from my- mmmmppphhhh!" Jack struggled against the bonds as North chuckled in a somewhat evil manner.

"Ah no Phil, do not put tape on his mouth. Tooth would like to see his teeth when we deliver her birthday present-" North said as the yeti grunted and removed the tape with a painful sound.

"OUCH! What the _heck_? Phil if I did that to you-" Jack started to say and North laughed again.

"What are you saying Jack? You have no facial hair! That would not hurt!"

"Oh sure! Step on my manly pride too why don't you- WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU PUTTING IN MY MOUTH?"

"Toothpaste! Now Jack, be ready to be 'dolled up', as they say, for Tooth and mini fairies tea party!" North said with a scarily high pitched giggle that made passing yetis shiver.

"I HATE YOU NORTH! I HATE- MMPPPPHHH!"

"What are you doing? Lipstick must be red! Do it again!"

"NORTH!"

* * *

**II. **"Sandy!" A sudden shout through the halls of Santa's workshop made the old Santa look up just in time to catch sight of the guardian of Dreams giggling as he hid behind North's large form. There was a sudden cold breeze and North bit back a laugh as their youngest guardian came in, huffed and covered from head to toe in what seemed to be gold paint.

"Haha, very funny Sandy!" Jack said with a roll of his eyes when he saw the floating man peeking from behind North and giggling silently. "Seriously? Gold? So unoriginal!"

Sandy stopped laughing and gave Jack an irritated expression as he made fast sand signs while the other scoffed.

"Just because I painted you pink that one time-" There was a golden exclamation point from Sandy and Jack continued on. "-doesn't mean you can paint me in temporary gold paint- Wait, why are you laughing?" Jack ask horrified, blue eyes going wide. "This _is temporary_ right?"

Sandy shrugged with an innocent expression as Jack took a shaky step back, eyes in wide comical horror. Suddenly the guardian of Fun was off towards the paint section of the workshop. "PHIL!"

Sandy continued to chuckle as North shook his head. "He'll get you back for that, you know." The guardian of dreams shrugged nonchalantly but then he was laughing again when he heard Jack scream.

"What do you mean three months- SANDY I HATE YOU!" Jack screeched as the Sandy rolled on the floor, laughing.

* * *

**III. **"You make a mess wherever you go! You're no good and irresponsible! A selfish, little brat-" Bunny began his rant as he poked Jack with his paint brush with every single insult that came out of his mouth.

Jack tried his very best not to look hurt, his expression adapting its familiar mask of haughtiness as he floated to see eye-to-eye with the six-foot-one rabbit. "Oh, Bunny! Now you're making me blush with all those compliments-!"

"It's. Not. A. Compliment!" Bunny said as he shoved Jack at the last word. "Don't you get it? No one wants ya'! No one cares about ya'!"

"Bunny!" North said in warning as Tooth looked at the two with wide amethyst eyes.

"You're not needed or wanted!" Bunny continued, on a roll, totally unknowing of the horror filled mask that was Jack's expression. "I don't know what Manny was thinking when he made you guardian-"

"Bunny stop it!" Tooth yelled as she placed a hand on the guardian of hope's arm.

"Maybe he thought yer family had enough of yah causing trouble all the time!" The Pooka let out and Jack's expression began to crumble at that, his face going hard, his fists white knuckled. "It must've been a blessing for them when they finally got rid of yeh-"

It was Sandy who finally shut the old warrior up, throwing an innocent passer-by elf on the other's face causing him to yelp in shock.

"Bunny." North said in a grave tone.

"Wha-?" The warrior started but then he paused when he saw Jack's expression. Suddenly all the things he said to the other came back to him and the guardian's fur bristled as he felt the intense emotion in the air.

There were tears in Jack's eyes.

The pooka's ears folded against his skull as he reached out, green eyes wide. "Frost, I'm so-"

"Don't touch me." Jack hissed and Bunny almost jumped back and yelped as the temperature dropped down rapidly. Jack was growling, blue eyes dark with anger and power pulsing through his thin frame. "Don't come near me."

"Frostbite!" Bunny accidentally yelled. "Look, I wasn't thinking straight. Don't take it to-"

"Shut. Up." Jack glared as he rose higher in the air, the anger in his eyes overtaken only by deep hurt that made everyone flinch. "I hate you." He hissed and the dark tone behind those words made Bunny's jaw drop.

"I hate you." He said one last time before he flew off into the air.

* * *

**IV. **"Oh, come on Jack! You have to wear this dress!" Tooth squealed excitedly as she fluttered about. Said frostbite was hanging on one of the nests upside down, face set into a blank look. The tooth fairy threw the dress onto the others face as the youngest guardian scowled.

"I hate thee…" Jack said in a drawling voice. "…so much."

"Oh, come on Jack! Be a good sport! We are doing Romeo and Juliet!" North said as he tried on his _Lady Motangue_costume. "It's an old classic! You pick Juliet fair and square! And Bunny rewrote script himself!"

"Don't worry Frostbite, I made sure to include a lot of girly statements." Bunny said as he threw the script at the winter sprite's face.

"I won't participate in this!" Jack announced loudly as he dropped the dress.

"_Wilt thou let Bunny labor for naught? I trow not!_" Tooth said haughtily as she shoved three more dresses into Jack's arms. "And besides, the mini fairies have been looking forward to this for days. Surely, you won't disappoint them right?" She said giving the other her best puppy dog look.

"Still hate you guys for this…" Jack mumbled as he finally caved in and Tooth gave him a wide smile as she pinched his cheeks.

"Aw, we love you too!"

* * *

**V. **Maybe they should've thought this through. Talked to Jack about it or something along those lines at least before they went through with their curiosity.

They were crossing an invisible line, they knew, but Jack was just _so_ secretive and they wanted to know more about him-

-they just wanted to understand him.

"So you thought of looking at my memories?" Jack said in a stunned tone as he stepped back, his blue eyes wide and looking at each guilty expression. "Without telling _me_?"

"Jack, I'm sorry. It was-" Tooth began to explain but Jack waved her off, he wasn't even looking at them anymore, instead he turned around.

"Look, don't- just don't say anything." Jack said with a long sigh. "I mean, you're the guardians I get it. You do whatever you want, _whenever_ you want 'cause you're big shots and all that!"

"Hey, that's-" Bunny started, a little hurt by the words coming out of Jack's mouth.

"But you _know_, there is this little thing called privacy, right?" Jack said as he faced them with a frown. "I mean, I may be a little winter spirit and all that, but I deserved some privacy in this place right? I mean I should!"

"Jack, we do not-" North started but Jack interrupted him.  
"I mean, you'd _think _that after three hundred years of being left alone, not cared for, asked about, and everything, that you at least owe me some privacy or- hey! How about the fact that those are _my _memories! I mean, that should've at least made you think of asking me right?" Jack asked and Sandy shifted guiltily, looking at the ground.

The youngest guardian had been dreaming about drowning lately- not that Sandy should've peeked into the other's dreams but he was really worried- and the guardian of dreams just wanted to make sure that the other was alright.

"But that's too much to ask, isn't it?" Jack sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Of course it's too much to ask. What was I thinking?" He muttered as he let the win carry him and the guardians all reached out, wanting to stop him to say something, to apologize-

But they were at fault weren't they? Would Jack even hear them out?

"Jack." It was Tooth who spoke and Jack paused a second before looking back at the others, face unreadable. It would've been better if he was mad, they could handle anger. But indifference and a blank face, they didn't know what the other was thinking, how big the damage was.

Tooth took a deep breath, "Do you hate us?"

There was a pause as the guardians held their breaths while Jack surveyed them with hooded blue eyes. "Right now? Yeah, you could say I hate you."

There was a sound of something breaking, but that was most probably their hearts and souls.

"But I don't hate _you_ guys. Just what you did." Jack pursed his lips, his hands twisting around his staff. "I hate the fact that you just went and looked into my memories without telling me. I mean, I'm just learning to trust you know? It would've been great if you'd given me a heads up or something-"

"We're sorry. We won't do it again! We swear!" Tooth said immediately as Sandy nodded enthusiastically while North and Bunny gave firm nods.

Jack pursed his lips and exhaled through his nose. "I still can't forgive you., Not yet anyway. I still _hate _what you did." The guardians flinched at the words and Jack took a deep breath. "Look, I have to go and think this through okay? I don't want to say things I don't mean and hurt you- So I guess I'll see you again, though I'm not sure when." As he said that, Jack was being flown by the wind towards the door-sized windows of the tooth palace, ready to throw his frustration, disappointment, and hurt into the air but another guardian's words stopped him-

"Hey Jack." And Jack paused, nearly falling because Bunny calling him by his first name was the last thing he ever expected.

"Saving your sister, that was a real brave thing you did there mate." Bunny said and Jack turned, blue eyes wide as he met the admiring looks of the guardians who all nodded in awe at what Bunny said.

Jack couldn't help the smile that lifted his face as he soared through the windows and to the sky.

At least he didn't _hate _being praised by Bunny and the others.

* * *

_And the one time Jack said 'I love you'_

* * *

**I. **There were only a handful of moments Jack felt like he wanted to say 'I love you' in his three hundred years of existence. Most of those times involved kids who could not see him but still made him happy because they whined and complained when the winter season passed and the remaining other few times was because of food that filled his somewhat flat tummy.

Jack has never said "I love you" to another person before. Never said it to people that could hear him at least. He wasn't an "I love you" hogger nor did he _not_ understand what those words imply. He just never found the right people to say those words to. A family would be a wise and obvious choice to say "I love you" to but Jack _didn't_ exactly have a family at that time, so that was out of the question.

He could say it to the wind though, and not risk being scorned… But the wind didn't exactly reply him with the same words, the wind would only take him to do happy loop-the-loops which Jack enjoyed either way, because that was the way she said "I love you".

But now, things were different though. Jack had people to say I love you to now. Four of them, and they had helped and cared for Jack in more ways than one.

There were often good instances when the guardians would do something that made Jack wanted to shout out his familial love to them, like that instance when they all made a room for him in their places, or that time when they gave him chocolates for Valentines (although in Tooth's case it was more reluctant)-

But Jack just couldn't find it in himself to say it.

He didn't know what would happen when he said those words, didn't know if the guardians would even say it back. And that uncertainty alone killed Jack and instead of being happy and showing how much they mean to him, Jack withdrew even more and tried to avoid them.

But that only made the guardians redouble their efforts. And it just made it harder for Jack to hold back the words he wanted to say.

"Hey Jack! That's the aurora isn't it?" Jamie suddenly called, pointing at the sky as he paused at the task of building as snowman with the winter spirit. "I think the other's are calling you."

"Oh yeah! Cool, my first summons as a guardian!" Jack said as he hopped to the air, the wind catching him easily. "Looks like I gotta go. Sorry kid, maybe next time?"

"Yeah!" Jamie waved as he smiled happily. "Tell me what happened when you get back! Oh and say 'hi' to the others for me!"

Jack did a two finger salute as he laughed. "Will do!" He said before he took off whooping, Jamie becoming a distant dot in his peripheral vision. "Now let's see what the guardians want." The guardian of fun muttered as the wind took him to the North Pole as fast as she could.

"Guys?" Jack called out when he finally perched onto the window that led to the globe room. No one answered his calls as Jack peered inside in wonder. "Guys, c'mon this isn't funny! I blew off Jamie just to come here!"

When there was still no answer, the young spirit entered the globe room warily, "Guys-"

"SURPRISE!"

Jack let out a surprised curse as he jumped three feet in the air as though he was electrocuted. Loud horns blared and something colorful dusted in front of his face as elves piled into the room, doing the loud orchestra thing they did for Jack when he became a guardian, "What the-?"

But Jack wasn't able to finish his sentence when an excited fairy was suddenly in his face, squealing in excitement, "Happy birthday Jack!"

Jack fell back onto the ground in shock, but thankfully Bunny caught the stunned winter sprite as he looked around confused. "What the heck is happening?" He finally yelled in shock as he tried to sit up straight in Bunny's arms. The pooka rolled his eyes.

"Didn't Tooth just tell you? It's yer birthday ya drongo." Bunny yelled as he walked and deposited Jack calmly into a pile of something that was not so soft, making the youngest guardian yelp.

"What is this?" Jack said in panic as he drowned in paper wrappers, ribbons, and more confetti which seemed to be Sandy's doing after all.

"Presents of course!" North boomed as he showered more gifts on Jack while the other struggled to breath. "It is mandatory for every birthday party!"

"Birthday-? Are you guys telling me you organized a birthday party… for _me_?" Jack asked, surprised.

"We're not heartless you know. Of course we'd organize a birthday party for ya, ya gumby." Bunny stated with crossed arms and Jack blinked.

"But- but I-" Jack started uncertainly as he took a box present and laid it on his lap. Sandy had his head tilted in confusion. "I don't _have_ a birthday." Jack said and suddenly there was a silence.

Jack pursed his lips. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything. The guardians went through all the trouble for this party. And now they were going to end it and think he was nuisance and take away these gifts-

"No birthday, huh?" Bunny said and Jack looked up just in time to see him ran a hand through his long ears. "Well, that's about ta change. You have one now." He said, effectively making Jack's jaw drop.

"W-What?"

"Ah! First real birthday of Jack's! This is bigger deal than I thought!" North said with a jolly laugh. "Dingle! Go tell Phil to go wild with food!" Four elves saluted at the name.

"B-But- Are you saying today's my birthday now?" Jack asked, mouth agape as Tooth and her fairies swooned at his teeth.

"Well of course! No use putting this all to waste! And you don't have a birthday, so why not today right?" Tooth said as she took a box and smiled, "And look, we got you a present and everything!" Sandy nodded as he picked up a box and shoved into Jack's arms.

"Guys…" Jack's face twisted up strangely, as though he was trying not to cry as his arms were piled up with gifts, the elves and yetis joining in, in burying him in a pile.

"And look, a cake!" North's voice boomed as Phil along with Ed entered with a gigantic between them. It was blue and decorated with snowflakes, an ice figure of Jack on top of it, no doubt done by North. Blue eyes widened as Jack took to the air and observed the blue, white, and silver icing perfection before him.

"This is- for me?" Jack whispered, his voice in awe and trembling.

"See another troublemaker guardian with a staff?" Bunny said with a snort, but there was only underlying affection in his tone. "Yes, it's fer you, Frostbite. Happy birthday."

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" The yetis grunted as the elves jingled while the guardians shouted and more confetti were thrown in the air. Jack leaned against the wind, his lips trembling as he smiled widely, his grip on his staff tight with tension form what he was about to say.

"Thanks guys." Jack said trying to sound casual and calm but coming off as breathless instead. "I love you for doing this."

Jack's statement was met with silence as the guardians all exchanged looks at the surprising words. Jack stiffened and he was already half thinking of taking it back when suddenly Tooth tackled him into the air, knocking the breath out of him.

"Oh, we love you too Jack!" She said in a tone that was strong with affection and truth. Jack relaxed as he allowed the wind to bring him to the ground so that North may crush him into a big bear hug as Sandy patted him on the shoulder. Bunny satisfied himself with smiling a few feet away, green eyes proud and affectionate like the rest of the guardians.

Jack let out a breath in relief and before he knew it he was laughing out uncontrollably, the tension uncoiling in his gut as Sandy and Tooth began a contest to see whose present Jack would open first. The guardian of fun didn't mind the attention and went about to show his gratitude by appreciating every present, ever confetti, wholeheartedly.

Today was the first time Jack celebrated his birthday as a spirit. And today was the first time Jack ever said 'I love you' to the first family he'd ever had in his three hundred years.

Things were going better than he expected.

* * *

**Notes:** This is based on a prompt in ROTG KINK _Round 3_. So I messed up, because the bonus was: Jack was supposed to be a kid and Pitch had to be involved somehow but when I saw the bonus I was nearly done writing anyway- so yeah. Epic fail on my part. I'll just make a second fill that fulfills the bonus, no biggie.

Also, the first part was my first and probably last attempt at humor. Oh my gosh, I suck XD

So my long absence, I've been sick and I had exams too! How did I get sick? Well, my dad took me out to sit on the bench and talk about random things. Got sick for four days afterwards because I was exposed to the cold night air and I was this close to being dragged to the doctors XD But I'm sorta okay now I guess. I'm taking a short break but I'll get to updating my others stories soon, hopefully :D

Thanks to those who went and check my tumblr by the way. I go on there and reblog ROTG when I need inspiration and stuff when writing :D

You guys rock, **frosted perfection 2** will be coming out next and then the request of the last two requestors :

Thanks again guys for supporting me and my fics, I'll get to review replies on the next chapter, I have to go to bed or risk the wrath of my parents! THANKS and have a good day :D

Reviews are appreciated as always!


	21. Daydreaming Fairy Tales

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **Wherein Sandy realizes what a family and home means to one Jack Frost.

**LiliFayre's Prompt: **_I'd really like a Sandy Jack story._ _I like Sandy and I really don't think he gets enough love. Maybe.. something with the two of them sharing a common hobby.. maybe... I have no idea really. I think anything that you write will be wonderful! So.. I like Jack and Sandy and Bunny. Surprise me?_

_**For LiliFayre's birthday**_: HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I WAS ABLE TO FINISH IT! HURRAH! I hope you have a special day and may you have more birthdays to come! *hugs*And I also hope you enjoy this and I hope that Sandy is in character XD

* * *

**Daydreaming Fairy tales**

The first time Sandy had ever seen the winter sprite was during one cold night in December.

Jack may have been several decades old already, if the way he moved and tiptoed against the telephone wires were any indication of it. And there too, was the familiar slump of shoulders the small man had seen on many aged seasonal spirits. The telltale sign that they realized they were alone and they could do nothing about it.

Sandy sometimes wished he could help such spirits. Bring dreams to the children as they slept and solidify their existence in the process.

But he could only do so much with spirits that have no solid belief base. He could send dreams of children playing with seasonal fairies, but the kids would wake up the next morning, thinking it was only a figment of their imagination.

But still, Sandy tried.

The old spirit stretched his arms as he finished delivering dreams to the children of the town. He turned his attention to the nimble sprite jumping across the roofs with grace.

The old wishing star looked up at the night sky. There was still time before he went and did his rounds on the next town over. He better go and introduce himself to this new hooded spirit and offer him a good listening ear, first.

Only Manny knows how long it has been since this seasonal spirit was last seen and talked to.

With that in mind and a ready smile on his lips, Sandy began to follow the hooded figure, dodging telephone poles as he waved his hand enthusiastically, trying to get the other's attention.

The sandman pouted when the other didn't turn and he huffed as he willed his cloud made of dream sand to go faster and to catch up with the other.

However, the young, hooded seasonal sprite suddenly dropped in between the spaces of the houses, making Sandy bypass him, before the oldest guardian turned around, clearly startled. The old wishing star went back to the space he saw the blue hooded figure vanish and went to see if the other was alright.

To his surprise and slight awe, the young able lad was hanging upside down, legs expertly hugging onto the gutter as he peeked from the windows. The sandman chuckled to himself as he approached the other slowly, ready to extend his sands carefully to catch the other's attention.

_BANG!_

Sandy jumped in surprise at the loud sound as he turned rapidly, wondering if someone got shot.

But there was no one around and the sandman turned to look at Jack who was not surprised one bit by the loud sound. Still in the same position, hanging upside down with a thoughtful look on his face.

That's when Sandy heard loud footsteps coming from inside the house, and the old star concluded that the _banging _sound he heard was probably of a door being closed with much force.

"_PIPPA! _Come back here, young lady-!"

"NO!" A shout from a young girl startled Sandy again, and he floated closer to watch behind Jack, to look through the window and see the room he was peeking in on.

It was a girl's room, peach-colored and neat, stacked with stuff toys and a few books to the side.

The door to the bedroom opened and Sandy quietly gasped as he hid behind a convenient telephone pole. He did not know if the girl was a believer but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Meanwhile, Jack stayed in his perch, and it made Sandy's heart ache just a little bit, when he realized that the other had no hope of being seen left, that's why he was so confident that the girl wouldn't see him.

"Stupid…" Pippa muttered as she closed her door with a bang. There were shouts and scolding from below but the girl ignored them. She looked to be thirteen or twelve, her brown hair cut short as she frowned at the door as though it did her terrible wrong. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" She shouted as she turned off the lights and ran to her bed. She grabbed a stuffed toy and threw it at the door.

"I have such _stupid _parents!" She shouted suddenly as tears ran down her eyes. "You don't care about me at all! I _hate _you! I _wish you didn't exist!_" She flopped down onto her bed and screamed into her pillow.

Sandy and Jack watched the girl for a few minutes, crying heavily into her pillow and screaming now and then. Her parents came to knock on her door but she locked it and ignored them, so eventually they left.

Finally, after a few more minutes, the girl rolled from her position, dragging some blankets and pillows with her as she sniffled. Several seconds later, she fell asleep, tears running down her eyes.

Sandy frowned. It seemed like his dream sand was needed to end the girl's tantrums and sadness. Just as he was about to do that, Jack shifted in his position, catching his attention effectively.

The teenage-looking sprite let go of the gutter before he gracefully spun in midair, extending his staff to catch the end hook by the window ledge. The boy must weigh like nothing if he was able to do that with ease.

Jack placed his feet against the wall, trying to balance himself, with one hand on his staff as the other reached out to push open the window. Sandy leaned forward in interest as the sprite entered the room when the gap was wide enough.

Curious, the guardian of Dreams flew towards the window, leaning against the wall on the side of the window, so as to be out of sight. He listened to soft footfalls as Jack went to the girl's bedside.

Golden eyes peeked through the window and saw Jack kneel down by Pippa's bed, listening to the hiccups of the girl as she slept. The young spirit pulled down his hood, revealing white hair that shone in the moonlight and light blue eyes that twinkled sadly.

"That was some pretty impressive tantrum, kiddo." Jack kidded, as though the girl could hear him. He shifted to a sitting position, leaning against the girl's dresser as he looked up at the ceiling with a sigh. "You said some pretty harsh words too."

Sandy listened on silently, curious as to what jack was doing.

"Hey." The voice of Frost suddenly said in the darkness. "Why don't I tell you a story? Maybe it'd make you feel better, after fighting with your parents. Or if it doesn't, that at least you'd learn something from it." Sandy sees Jack shrug before he shifted again, but this time in an Indian position as he turned his body to the lump sleeping on the bed.

"A long time ago, nearly three hundred years in fact, there was a winter sprite, brought to life by someone called 'Man in the Moon'." There was a bitter note on the last words that Sandy knew he wasn't imagining. "He didn't know where he was, _who_ he was. But the Moon very kindly told him his name first before he went flying towards the nearest town he found."

Jack sighed as he looked down, rubbing at his temples. "It was all fine and dandy. The sprite was having fun. He was new to the world and he could _fly_! How cool is that right? That is, until he stumbled into that little town to ask around. He wanted to know where he was and he wanted to see other people watching him fly and have fun."

The old winter incarnate hugged his legs to his chest as he buried his face into his knees. "But it seemed like these people couldn't see the sprite. He was walked through, like- like he was a ghost! And no one heard him at all as he shouted." There was an exhale of breath. "The sprite had to leave because it hurt. It hurt a lot to be walked through. But not being seen, somehow, hurt even more."

Sandy let out a soft exhale of hurt. This sprite, as he suspected was as lonely as the other spirits that had faded away with no belief.

"The sprite traveled around the world after that. He still had trouble flying but it was okay, it was fun, trying something new. He flew all over the world and he laughed and danced and made blizzards." There was a light tone in Jack's voice now as he looked up. "There were no rules. There was nothing to hold him back. He ate when he liked, he pranked whoever he wanted, he slept wherever he wanted to sleep and no one scolded him-"

"It sounds fun right?" Jack asked softly as he looked at the sleeping girl who had a small smile on her face. "I bet you'd like to be that sprite. Free from your parents and going wherever you liked, getting into trouble with no one to yell and scold you."

The girl continued to smile, as though she was dreaming of the life Jack described.

"But!" Jack said, his voice becoming loud dramatically as he continued. "There's a catch!"

Sandy listened intently to the next words, unconsciously leaning further to the window to hear the next quiet words.

"There was something missing in the sprite's life. What? He didn't know." Jack said his tone wistful, eyes distant. "But then one day the sprite crash landed into a park. He and Wind- his best friend- had a fight because Jack wanted to go near the equator and fall asleep there. The Wind didn't want Jack to be hurt so she refused and threw Jack into some random park."

The white haired boy sighed. "He saw it there. The thing that was missing all along." The young boy turned and gave the girl a soft smile. "A family."

Sandy froze and then a question mark formed on top of his head.

Family?

"There was a mother and father…" Jack started as he counted of his fingers. "A son and a daughter. A brother and a sister. The sprite learned they were called that while he watched the adults having fun with the kids." Jack rested his chin against his arms as he continued. "It was strange. The sprite thought, as he held on the front of his clothes. His heart was hurting and he didn't know why. He's eyes were burning but he didn't want to _cry_. The family was happy, they laughed, and played, and talked with each other. So _why_?"

Jack buried his face in his arms. "Why did it hurt so much to _watch them_?"

Sandy's eyes widened when he heard the voice break at the end, the girl in the bed shifted, her smile replaced by a sad look and tears running down her cheeks again. He had half his mind to get in through the window and comfort the stranger spirit that was a few centuries old, but Jack began speaking again and the sandman tried to hold himself back.

"The sprite had no family." Jack said, and his tone was scarily flat this time. Eyes blank and tired. "He lived in a world with no rules, filled with pranks, and always having _fun._ But the sprite was alone. During day time he would throw snowballs at kids _that couldn't see him_. He'd pretend that when they played, their eyes didn't look through him. And during night time he'd hang upside down by the windows and watch as kids went home, talking with their parents, hugging, laughing with them."

"The sprite learned to want these small things. These things you take for granted everyday, the sprite wanted them _so much_. He was willing to give up _anything_. His immortality, his powers, he would give them up with no second thoughts. He'd do anything just to have a _home_, to have… a-a _family_." The young winter spirit took a deep breath.

"That's why you shouldn't take these things for granted, Pippa." Jack spoke as he slowly stood up and approached the bed to sit on the edge. He reached out a cold hand and held his breath as he placed a cold hand on the girl's head. "Don't say you hate your parents, or that you wished they didn't exist. Not everyone can have a family and warm home like you. You might be mad now and you might think that the things you want to have make sense, but-"

The teenage sprite looked down at his feet as he swung them in distraction. "If there came a time that your family would be gone and you're left all alone. You'd _realize_ it too. You'd understand and eventually, you'll want your family back. Don't let these important things slip through your fingers."

There was silence and Sandy watched on, wondering what the other would do now. Jack took a deep breath and hopped off the bed, stretching slightly.

"Well, that's the end of story time! Sorry you had to hear some drama-ridden stories from a sad, old sap like me." Jack said with a grin as he skillfully handled his staff. "Now, I have to go and spread more snow to the west! It's gonna be a snow week on the next town over and I wanted to catch the sandman before he leaves."

Jack turned to the window and Sandy immediately rushed to his old hiding spot. This time he was hiding rather than letting his presence known. He didn't know how Jack would react when he realized that the _Sandman_ had been listening to him pour his heart out.

"Oh and, in case you're wondering about the sprite and what happened to him." Jack said in a conversational tone, one foot already up on the ledge, his face looking at the window and not at the child. "He's still out there, making blizzards and spreading snow. He may laugh and smile and grin when other spirits see him but-" Jack's voice quieted. "On those quiet nights, when the wind howls and the snow fall quietly to the ground, if you listen closely, you can hear him sometimes. He would yell or either cry but _why_? Well, that isn't a mystery anymore."

Jack pushed the windows, opening wider as he dropped to the ground below. Sandy watched him with sad golden eyes as Jack paused and looked up, towards the window.

"Ah, I forgot to tell her the sprite's name." Jack said with a sigh of exasperation. He shrugged as he yelled, knowing that he won't disturb anyone with the noise, "_Jack Frost_! The was all the moon ever told him, that his name was _Jack Frost. _And that-" Jack's voice quieted as he looked up higher, at the moon who shone down brightly. "-That was a long, _long _time ago."

Silence.

And just like that, Jack was off, running speedily with the help off the wind. He jumped and allowed the wind to carry him to the next town, spreading more snow as he went.

Sandy remained in his hiding spot for a few minutes, staring at where he saw the boy vanish. He was only shaken out of his reverie when he heard the girl, called Pippa wake up, shouting for her parents as she opened the door to her room.

Her mom and dad came immediately of course, thinking she was hurt or had a nightmare. But then Pippa tackled the two into a hug, crying as she apologized. She blubbered on about some sad dream she had that made her realize she was wrong. Sandy smiled a sad smile as he directed a few sands into the direction of the house before turning to leave.

That night, the kids on the next town over somehow had similar dreams. A young winter sprite playing and having a snowball fight with them as they all played in the snow together.

In their dreams, the sprite was happy as he spread snow and fun for the little kids.

The next day, the dreams would be dismissed as something made up by a tired mind but no one could argue that it wasn't a good dream given by the sandman.

The best one at that.

* * *

_**Present…**_

"Okay, so can you tell me again, where you learned how to knit?" Jack asked laughingly as Sandy taught him how to make a scarf via knitting.

Sandy had a proud look on his face as he made various figures with his dream sand.

"Around, huh?" Jack said with a suspicious tone in his voice. "There isn't some embarrassing background story about it is there? I mean, you know I'm a good listener when it comes to those!"

Sandy laughed a quiet laugh as Jack chuckled and continued knitting. As Jack focused on his work, Sandy turned and saw North leaning against the doorway talking quietly with Tooth. Bunny was asleep by the fireplace, snoring lightly as his dreams of carrots floated on top of his head.

The sandman excused himself from Jack who nodded absently, since he was too focused in what he was doing.

"Ah, Sandy. Finished teaching Jack how to knit?" North asked when he saw the little man approached. Sandy nodded before he tilted his head and pointed at North and Tooth as he formed a question mark.

Tooth looked guilty as she said, "It's just- we were talking about Jack."

North and Tooth exchanged looks before the fairy looked at Sandy who was waiting patiently for an explanation. "And well, we thought Jack would be more mad or angry at us. I mean, we heard the whole story about how he got his memory container back… And Pitch even asked him to join his side- and even after we treated him like that…" Tooth sighed in depression. "He still came back, saved those kids, and _saved us_."

Sandy urged them on. _And?_

"And…" North sighed as well. "We are just wondering _why_…? For three hundred years we have not seek the boy out and we thought it would be harder to persuade him to join us because of it. But here he is!" North made an exaggerated gesture. "He is here with _us_! Accepting our invitation immediately! As though- as though we have not hurt him with our actions and words… And look! He is even making a scarf now! And for _Bunny_ too! It confuses us old friend, it confuses us greatly…"

"_Why_?" Tooth asked in a quiet voice filled with shame. "Why isn't he angry? Why doesn't he hate us? I haven't even heard a single insult or a single complaint of how we treated him… _Why_?" And Tooth looked at the boy who was ruffling his hair as he tried his best to make a scarf with his limited knowledge in knitting.

Sandy looked at Jack as well, remembering a night not that long ago, and the old guardian smiled as he turned to his friend, signing in his sand.

Tooth and North turned to him as he made sand figures to convey his thoughts.

_It's because…_ Sandy's sand figures relayed, although they were not in words. _Jack has yearned for a family for a long time. He does not linger on past mistakes… Instead he values the present time._

_And it's because… _Sandy's sand formed gentle figures with his sand. The five of them together, side by side and Jack's sand figure turning to hug all of the guardians' sand figure. _Jack knows the value of family._

Often, Sandy signed too fast, or he made figures none of the guardians could understand. Often, since the guardian of dreams chooses not to talk, there are misinterpreted conversations between him and the others that results in misunderstandings or to put it plainly, no one can simply understand his messages.

But when North and Tooth's eyes widened after his message and their expressions morphed to soft smiles, Sandy knew…

That this time, they understood it too.

* * *

**Author's notes: **The **Pippa **here is Jamie's friend Pippa ;D She used to live in a different town and moved to Burgess the year after this happened. This was why she was angry with her parents because they were gonna move away from where Pippa grew up. The town that received dreams about Jack was the _**Burgess town**_.

I know I promise **Frosted Perfection 2**, but birthdays come first! :D So here's a Sandy & Jack story which I hope you enjoy from the bottom of my heart! We are nearly to **six hundred reviews guys**!

Also, sorry if it's a bit draggy. I mean, Sandy can't speak so yeah XD

And so, my tumblr address is in my profile now, there are rules if you have request and I'll only ever post any request fic on tumblr and uploading it to fanfiction will come last XD

So as I said, this is a birthday fic for **LilyFayre**! Happy birthday again! As you can see, I just inserted the hobby thing at the end and Bunny somehow got in there as well XD I hope this is okay!

So guys, don't forget to greet the birthday girl :D

**So to Review Replies **_(chapter 19)_

**Emeraldbuttercup: **I will try to get with that request as soon as I can, and yes someday I will upload the fanfics from my tumblr here too. The jackrabbit ones meanwhile, well maybe they can stay in tumblr? I'm not confident with them XD

**silverheartlugia2000****: **Yeah, I hope Bunny has a camera too. I mean, what's he going to do with the painting since the googies are _perishables_. O. O

**IWillNeverStopFangirling****: **Thank you so much for the compliment and for always reviewing and well, you're amazing ;D THANKS SO MUCH

**Book girl fan: **Yes, for three hundred years it won't be a shock that Jack has learned a lot of things in this span ;D

**Yuurei no Chu: **What does your name mean? XD Anyway, thank you so much :D I was sad while I was typing out Pippa's part because I was like: What am I doing? Why am I hurting Jack- this

**RizReviewer: **Uhm,I'm sorry for stomping on your heart and tearing it to pieces? XD

**JuneGilbertVivianRaeven****: **Of course I would gladly keep writing! And I see your picture is a gaian! You have a gaia too, I take it?

**dizappearingirl****: **I did say it five times and I didn't get tongue tied yey! XD Thank you very much for saying that you're okay with whatever I post! You bring tears to my eyes! :D

**JustPlainOldMe: **Thank you very much for saying so! You're wonderful review made me smile and it would seem more likely that Jack is better at the arts since well its _Jack_, the creator of amazing fern patterns like you said!

**JayaEmera: **So what do you think? Should I post the song fic up? I mean it might be awkward and I'm not confident with it too XD

**Review Replies **_(Chapter 20)_

**Katyuana, Dreamcreator, cuteknight101**: Well, I _may _try to make an extended scene with the Bunny thing, but we'll see.

**Ihearthorses6000: **Hearing that from you makes my heart grow warmer. Thank you for always supporting this fic!

**JayaEmera: **Frosted Perfection XD But thank you very much :D I hope you enjoy this although it's not **Frosted Perfection 2**

**Book girl fan: **Yes it would. By the way your gift fic is next XD I still havem't decided if it would be an independent fic or an updated but I'll contact you when it's up!

**Sleepery: **Welcome back! I noticed I haven't gotten reviews from you lately and I was worried! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Dragowolf: ***hugs* THANK YOU! No one has ever said such kind words to me! I'm fine now! But my classes start on the fourth so I'm going to go all out today! I hope you enjoy this one too!

**Lovepuppy316: **Eh? Was it really cute? If so, then I'm happy! I was sorta unsatisfied with it, you see! And to hear that it was sweet, well THANK YOU.

**alight: **F-Flawless? *is flustered* It's not flawless at all! But thank you so much for the compliment!

**I. F. T. S. **Thank you for reviewing every chapter so far! I'm sorry I've only replied now, but I'd just like to say that seeing you review brings happiness to me and lights my soul :D (man, I'm corny XD)

**RizReviewer****: **Haha, I don't know if I'd be good at doing a Romeo and Juliet ROTG fic. But we'll see, it depends on the inspiration. XD


	22. Frosted Perfection II

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **Jack is good at doing many things and the guardians figure out why. The perfection in Jack's every talent and action speaks of three centuries worth of loneliness. There's only so much a spirit who is unseen, unheard, and unloved could do.

**Jesters of the Moon **_(the first reviewer of the tenth chapter)_**: **_Jack has been alone for quite some time. In that span of time, he must have tried to keep his mind off of loneliness somehow, right? So maybe in his 300 years alone, he has developed a skill due to being able to practice all the time. Maybe he could be an excellent singer or sculptor, etc. and the guardians can catch him in the act; lots of angst to ensue with them realizing the reason why he's so good at it._

**Frosted Perfection 2**

* * *

_Healing_

* * *

_**Past…**_

He was clumsy in the first few years of his life. Flying around, the wind dropping him now and again- Jack could only be thankful that somehow he seemed to be immortal because no one would probably be able to survive a thirty feet fall like him- he's got scratches and burns when he wandered too close to a tropical country, a fever-or the opposite of a fever- when he accidentally ate berries that were poisonous, an injury now and then when he faced dangerous beings that wanted to harm children-

Basically Jack was a mess on his first hundred years of living. He didn't know how others went through a day uninjured. Maybe if he was less clumsy or if he could fight better he wouldn't be covered in injuries every other day or something, or maybe if he had someone with him, someone that could help him if he got stuck in another thorny bush he-

But he had no one had he? No one to look after him and tell him what he was doing was right or wrong, no one to reach out a hand when he fell…

So Jack had better get used to just being injured so much because Jack had no one.

"You fell again?" Came an exasperated voice from the house whose roof Jack was currently lying on. The Frost sprite tilted an eyebrow and casually slid to the side of the house before carefully twisting his body like so and hanging against the gutters with his feet to look into the windows upside down.

"I-I'm sorry." The little boy sniffled as he rubbed at his eyes, Jack looked to the side and saw the imposing figure of the mother who 'tsked' softly in disapproval but went to the boy's side patting his head.

"It's fine, but you should come to me sooner okay?" The mother scolded softly and Jack watched her with interest as she went to the cabinets and took out a strange box with a weird marking. She took out some bandages and began to tend the injury with a gentle smile on her face.

The guardian of fun expression morphed from curiosity to one of sad longing as the window in front of him began to frost. As carefully as he could, he let himself drop from the side of the house before flipping expertly to land on the balls of his feet.

So that was how people treated their injuries. Having someone else patch it up for them.

Looking at his pale arms filled with scratches and bruises, Jack decided that the treatment the mother was applying to her son was something he really needed to learn for himself.

Just so he wouldn't get hurt anymore.

* * *

_**Present…**_

Bunny and North had been strange lately, this, Sandy- as the guardian of dreams and the expert on silence and actions- had noticed.

The two seemed to be thinking too deeply about something and what that was, he was not sure. There was one thing he was sure of however and that was, it had, one way or another, something to do with the current guardian of Fun, Jack Frost.

He had seen and noticed, when Bunny and Jack met, the winter sprite would flinch and force a guilty smile on his face as though he had done another prank onto the other and deeply regretted it. It had been Easter recently after all, so maybe Sandy hadn't been too far off the mark on that one.

Meanwhile, Bunny instead of berating the kid and looking all angry and huffy- which was his usual expression when Jack did something wrong- seemed equally abashed and even ashamed whenever he met Jack. He always looked like there was something he wanted to say, words playing on the tip of his tongue he was unable to voice for reasons unknown.

He seemed at awe, regretful, and, if the long rabbit ears were any indication, ashamed.

That was puzzling, indeed.

"Jack, my boy, would you like another round of eggnog?" North called out from the kitchen. Jack turned, a puzzled look on his face and shrugged.

"I'm fine." He called back, but blue eyes were confused.

Well, Sandy didn't blame him.

North had been more peculiar than Bunny. Ever since three days ago, he would constantly ask for the winter sprite, even when Jack was only pranking about as usual.

He never scolded Jack, not that he did before, but instead of laughing when the guardian of Fun pulled a hilarious one of Phil, North would smile a soft and fond smile that made Jack shrink a little in shame.

Sandy knew what the other was thinking, North had been so kind as to give him a room and everything and he, Jack, gets in the way of the yeti's work. The lack of laughter and the smile from North confused the sprite, and he pranked less and less because of North's queer and worrying actions.

Although Sandy knew that North didn't mean to make the boy uncomfortable, he was just being the usual _fatherly_ North.

"Here, I went and got some chocolate eggs for ya." Bunny said in a low voice as he hurriedly shoved a well made Easter egg into a stunned Jack's hands.

"Uhm, thanks Kangaroo?" Jack said uncertainly but with a bright smile, and Bunny just grumbled before he turned away, ears drooping even more to both Sandy and Jack's confusion.

Did those two come to learn something about Jack that made them like this?

Sandy tilted his head and a question mark floated on top of his head as Jack turned to meet his eyes. The boy in question shrugged his shoulders. A couple of elves then latched themselves to Jack's trousers and it wasn't long before Jack had to turn his attention away to entertain the little buggers.

Sandy turned his back and floated towards North. He could hear Tooth fluttering about in the room, chatting up different creatures at once with her bilingual tongue.

When the guardian of Dreams stopped in front of the old Santa, he wasted no time in signing his confusion. He showed a question mark made of golden sand before shifting it to a sandflake that represented Jack.

It took awhile, for North to decipher the message. Sand just patiently dropped himself to the ground and tapped his feet as he showed his question via sands again.

Geez, these people were slow on getting the message.

"No, no Sandy. Stop." North rubbed his nose as the older guardian redid his question several times, each time the sands were getting closer to the Cossack's face. "I know, I get your question. Get itchy things away from the face."

Sandy huffed and crossed his arms but did as he was told. He flashed one more question mark on North's field of vision, _So?_

"You are sharp." North said as he groomed his beard. "Although nothing is wrong, you have noticed my strange actions and Bunny's as well. I do not know why he is acting as he is, like a rabbit trying to please his master-" A rabbit ear twitched towards their direction and Sandy covered his mouth in a silent giggle, as the Pooka growled quietly, ten feet away from them. "But I have reasons to be as I am. I am merely worried for Jack, want him to feel welcomed-"

And North turned his sad blue eyes to the laughing teen who were swinging the elves, "-And not alone."

Bunny, although faraway, bent his head, ears pressed to his skull as though he was scolded. Golden eyes looked at North in inquiry and the old pirate thief just smiled at the old wishing star.

"'Tis nothing. Just one of those great, big revelations." North completed this statement with an exaggerated wave of his hands. "It's just I have realized…" Blue eyes looked at Jack once more, oblivious to the three pairs of eyes watching him.

"Three hundred years, it's a long time to be alone."

Silence.

Sandy nodded slowly, his sands unable to form the feeling he felt in his heart at the statement.

"AH!" A loud shriek alerted the four guardians to Jack and the elves again.

"JACK?" North and Bunny immediately shouted and rushed to the teen as Sandy followed them and behind him, he heard Tooth's frantic buzzing.

"Are you alright, mate?" Sandy heard Bunny's concerned voice as he tried to peek from behind North's burly stature.

"Ow, Bunny, I'm fine!" Jack complained and Sandy looked just in time to see Jack roll his eyes up at the Easter Kangaroo. "It's this little guy that's in trouble."

And sure enough, beside Jack was a crying elf, wrapped in the colorful Christmas lights of North's tree.

"I told him, the bulbs would explode if he kept that up." Jack sighed in exasperation, Sandy did not miss the strange bent of Jack's arm as he did this, nor the pursed lips as he lifted the elf and tangled him away from the lights. "I told you so, little guy."

The small elf cried, and Sandy noticed the blood trickling from the elf's head.

"Phil, quickly go get first aid kit-" North began to order but Jack interrupted him.

"Hey, no need!" Jack said as he placed his hand inside of the pocket of his hoodie and produced a small first aid kit. "I got this covered. I attended several boring medical seminars, so I'm qualified to give first aid." Jack said in a proud voice, but Sandy noticed a certain tone behind it, slightly wistful and hurt.

The eternal teen fished out a sterilized wet cloth in a ziplock bag and a bandage. He carefully pulled the elf's jingling attire aside to look at the gash on the other's forehead.

The elf winced as Jack placed the cloth on his injury and cleaned it before taking out the band aid.

"Now stay still, I have to cover it up so it won't get infected." Jack said as he tossed the sterilized and now bloody cloth to Phil, who proceeded to throw it away.

"There." Jack said with a huge smile as he finished and he lifted the elf. "Now was that so bad?"

The elf shook its head, and behind Jack, North sighed and Bunny huffed, while Tooth squealed at the cute scene.

"Where'd you learn to do first aid?" Bunny asked with crossed arms.

Jack's smile turned wistful. "Around." He replied. "Sometimes you just have a lot of free time in hand and hey, what better things to do than to learn a new set of skills right?"

Silence.

"Now, let's eskimo kiss that pain away." Jack said as he leaned forward and rubbed his nose softly on the elf's recovering head. The elf giggled and Jack stood up, suddenly wincing.

"Jack!" North reacted automatically. "Are you alright? Did you get hurt while catching Kringle?"

The pained expression smoothly shifted to a smiling one. "A bit. But it's fine. Nothing like an expert healer, like me, can't fix." Jack waved it off as he walked away with the elf in his arms.

North and Bunny exchanged looks before they nodded and called out to Jack, following him, leaving Tooth and Sandy alone.

There was silence between them as Sandy thought over what just happened.

"It makes you wonder doesn't it? Why he learned to be a healer?" Tooth said in a quiet voice. "I wonder who healed Jack's wounds for the last three hundred years."

Sandy was silent as his golden eyes followed the young boy who was _way_ older than he looked. His sands formed around him gently as his thought composed themselves in the forms of the sand.

_No one._

_No one healed his wounds but himself._

_He has learned to heal, so he can heal and help others. And maybe-_

Sandy's eyes closed.

_So that he, himself, would no longer be hurt, too._

* * *

_Lullabies_

* * *

_**Past…**_

He remembered this song.

It strikes a chord in him, a painful one, when he hears it. He remembers it somehow, mouth forming words long forgotten, but his voice is stuck in his throat and his eyes burn. He is sitting on top of a tree, watching a man play his harp as children around him listen, yawning as the sun goes down on another quiet day.

_Holl amrantau'r sêr ddywedant_

_Ar hyd y nos_

_"Dyma'r ffordd i fro gogoniant,"_

_Ar hyd y nos._

It is Welsh, he knows this. A, lately, very popular lullaby sung by mothers to their children, and Jack wants to learn it. He wants to sing songs that made little kids go to sleep with smiles on their faces.

_Golau arall yw tywyllwch_

_I arddangos gwir brydferthwch_

_Teulu'r nefoedd mewn tawelwch_

_Ar hyd y nos._

He doesn't know what it means, not yet anyway, but he is eager to understand the meaning behind the words. He could go to the library and translate it word by word, it might be difficult but he had nothing better to do.

_O mor siriol, gwena seren_

_Ar hyd y nos_

_I oleuo'i chwaer ddaearen_

_Ar hyd y nos._

And maybe, after he learns what each word means, he can start learning how to sing it too. So that when he sneaks into the houses of kids while they sleep and have nightmares, he can sing to them this familiar lullaby that made his heartache. He could comfort them when their parents were sleeping, and then maybe after he sung to them, he'd get to see them smile too.

_Nos yw henaint pan ddaw cystudd_

_Ond i harddu dyn a'i hwyrddydd_

_Rhown ein golau gwan i'n gilydd_

_Ar hyd y nos._

Jack applauded with the kids when the singer finished, a smile on his face as the children ran back to their parents and the man stood up to dust his pants. Jack stood up on the tree and stretches and turned his back on the man, about to leave and eager to start on this new project, when the man below suddenly began to speak.

"_Mae hyn ar gyfer y bachgen sydd heb unrhyw un i ddal ef drwy'r nos._" He said in a grave tone. Jack turned, eyebrows furrowed. The guy was talking to no one, his back turned on Jack before he started to walk away, leaving a confused winter sprite staring after him.

It takes Jack ten years to finally memorize the song and translate it, along with what the man said after he sung the lullaby.

When he finally understood the song and the phrase, the winter sprite cried for reasons he couldn't understand as he held a book in his hands.

* * *

_**Present…**_

Jack had come to her with a request one day. One she could not deny, for, like her fellow guardians, Toothiana was also willing to help Jack in any way that she could.

"Your memory box?" Tooth repeated amidst the buzz of another busy day collecting teeth.

Jack scratched his cheek and nodded. "I mean, if it's not too much trouble Tooth. I'd understand if you were busy though, I just had to check on something important."

The guardian of Memories tilted her head as she flew around Jack. Hesitation was evident on his face and there was also the stiff set of his shoulders that spoke of fear at being rejected. The tooth fairy smiled an encouraging smile, her heart twisting at Jack's obvious discomfort.

It's like he expected to be rejected every time he asked for something. As though she would turn him away harshly and in annoyance, calling him a nuisance.

"Jack, I won't mind giving you your memory box. Baby Tooth can handle the nest while I go get it." Tooth said gently, and automatically, the fairy dubbed 'Baby Tooth' chirped in response as she overtook the duty of her mother. The fairy queen placed a gentle hand on Jack's shoulder, the boy looked stunned at Tooth's easy acceptance.

"This way, Jack."

Jack flew beside Tooth as she guides him through the complicated and grand halls of her palace before finally stopping at double-oaked doors.

"This is where we keep the teeth of children who has passed away in the 1700s." Tooth said quietly and Jack snapped his head towards her in surprise.

"Tooth, y-you knew?" Jack said, his voice breathless with surprise. The tooth fairy pursed her lips. It looked like she had a lot of things she wanted to say to Jack, her eyes were getting watery but she just shook her head and pushed open the door.

Jack followed her as she flew towards a high section of the room, her hands pressing on the delicate gold as it shone and released a familiar looking memory box. She cradled the container of the precious teeth in her hands carefully, the warmth of the past Jack's life comforting her as she turned to the current Jack.

"Here." She said quietly. Jack took it and Tooth reached out a finger and pressed the middle jewel, opening it to reveal Jack's human teeth. "Just place your hands over one teeth in particular and you'll see the memory it holds."

Jack nodded numbly as he placed on pale finger over the teeth in the middle. And just like that, blue eyes went blank as Jack looked over his memories.

Tooth knew that the time that passed by in the memory was different from the time in the memory. What could take a day in the memory would only be a few seconds in reality.

And sure enough-

Tooth's eyes widened and she placed her hands on her mouth, as she gasped.

Iced tears dropped down onto the memory box as Jack looked on blankly, tears cascading down his cheeks as his human teeth shone in an eerie white light.

"Jack!" Tooth yelled as she grabbed the box. Once the object was wrenched out of his grasp, Jack let out a huge breath as he fell back in surprise. "Jack!" She yelled in worry, flying towards the fallen guardian but Jack only held up a hand, the other hand covering his eyes.

"I see…" He said in a soft murmur. "That was _him_." He laughed as the tears slid across his pale cheeks before he rubbed them away. "Thanks for showing me the box Tooth. I have somewhere to be now, so I'll see you." He said with a smile that seemed more pained than happy.

And just like that, Jack Frost flew out of the room, going somewhere Tooth suspected she could never reach him.

* * *

When Jack came back, Tooth is unaware of him.

Everything is a blur of feathers and teeth and cooing and- _oh look it's her first teeth_.

Everyday was like this and the rush usually made Tooth one very happy fairy because the business of her job signified the number of belief for her. But currently, her mind kept coming back to one certain sprite, and her heart and mind were uneasy from yesterday's worry.

"I'm going to take a break." She finally said to one fairy who nodded at her mother in worry. Baby Tooth was nowhere to be seen but then again, she was probably out with Jack. She had a habit of flying off to Jack when she sensed he was sad or lonely.

Tooth sighed as she flew through the halls. Her exasperation echoed around her as she headed towards her room-

_Sleep my child and peace attend thee,  
All through the night_

_Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,  
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping_

Tooth paused as she heard the voice echoing, she turned sharply, her ears picking up the soft lullaby being sung.

_I my loved ones' watch am keeping,  
All through the night_

_Angels watching, e'er around thee,_  
_All through the night_

She flew quietly towards a certain room, her feathers ruffling in anticipation as she peeks through a door left ajar. It was the room of her mini fairies, the place where they took breaks when they changed shifts.

A certain boy was by the window, singing to several sleeping mini fairies. Baby Tooth was on his palms, she was looking up at him with wide eyes as he continued to sing the sad lullaby.

_Midnight slumber close surround thee,  
All through the night  
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,  
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping  
I my loved ones' watch am keeping,  
All through the night_

Often it is said, that what made a voice beautiful was the quality of it, the way it hit the notes the right way, the way it sounded pleasing to the ears.

_While the moon her watch is keeping  
All through the night  
While the weary world is sleeping  
All through the night_

But music was more than that.

What made a song beautiful was not only the song itself, or the quality of the voice used, but it is the emotions that play behind it that made it beautiful.

_O'er thy spirit gently stealing  
Visions of delight revealing  
Breathes a pure and holy feeling  
All through the night_

The soft tone, the quiet huffs of breath and the sharp inhales Jack took now and then, the way his voice trembled, and the times he choked at certain words like they caused him certain pain…

_Though I roam a minstrel lonely  
All through the night  
My true harp shall praise sing only  
All through the night_

It was the pure and raw longing behind the tone and the words- these were what made the tears fall from amethyst eyes as Jack continued to sing, unkowing of one extra audience he had.

_Home through the night  
Earthly dust from off thee shaken  
Soul immortal shalt thou awaken  
With thy last dim journey taken  
Home through the night_

The mini fairies applauded quietly in the room as Tooth tried to suppress her hiccups while she wiped at her eyes.

"There, I sang for you, now can you go to sleep?" Jack said in exasperation. Tooth her the fairies chirping.

_Oh please sing some more!_

_We love your voice!_

_Will there be no more nightmares?_

"If you have nightmares, don't be afraid. I'll sing to you until their gone. How does that sound?" Jack asked and Tooth could almost imagine him grinning. She took another peek, seeing the immortal tucking the baby fairies in, as they cheered in approval at Jack's proposition.

"Okay, okay. Go to sleep now. I'll stay with you until you fall asleep. Even if I have to stay all through the night." He said with a soft smile as he sat by their bed side. The small fairies excited chattering died down into soft breathing and Tooth watched fondly as they fell asleep one by one.

Jack looked down at the mini girls and sighed as he turned to the window, to look up at the moon. He remembered a phrased, so long ago, told to him by the one who sang to him when he was reborn as Jack Frost.

"_Mae hyn ar gyfer y bachgen sydd heb unrhyw un i ddal ef drwy'r nos._" Jack said softly as he leaned against the window, closing his eyes, a memory playing in his mind.

Meanwhile, Tooth quietly closed the door to the room. She was multilingual fairy and the phrase Jack uttered did not escape her as she turned away. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes once more.

_This is for the boy who has no one to hold him through the night._ Was what Jack had said.

* * *

**Important Notes: **The man who sang the lullaby in Welsh, was **Jack's father.**

The headcanon here is that, Jack remembered his father trying to compose a lullaby which was why the song sounded familiar to him. His father was part Welsh and to honor tradition, he tried to make a lullaby in the Welsh language. He completed it after Jack died, and he went to his home country to spread it to the children, since he remembered Jack loved children.

He dedicated the song to his son, who had died recently and had no one caring for him while he was in heaven since his family was still alive and praying for his soul.

So I guess, this is the last chapter of **Frosted Perfection arc**? I don't know. XD

**Author's notes: **It's been three weeks and I apologize. Three weeks ago, school has started and so far I have spent every weekened going to meetings and report discussions. Here's the new chapter and hopefully I update soon.

**Book fan girl's **birthday was recently and I'm ashamed to admit that the fic I'm writing for her has yet to finish, so _I'm sorry_. AND **BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY!**

I'll get to it as soon as I can.

So I have classes, but I forgot something important and I went home and started finishing this up seeing as I have four hours of vacant time. I finished this in an hour or so and I hope you all enjoy.

So time for me to go back to school! CIAO!


	23. Touch

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary:** Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. **Leo Buscaglia**

**Prompt from **_**OP!Anon**_**: **_Another touch starved Jack prompt but slightly different._

So apparently you need on average 8 positive touches every day to maintain emotional and physical health. It doesn't need to be something big, just a friendly touch on the shoulder counts. So missing 8 touches a day for 300 years - that would be about 876584 touches(don't trust my math but it's a lot) - makes for some very attention seeking behavior, conscious or not.

But when Jack starts to act less like 'his usual self', after spending a lot of time around the others, and more calm, the guardians get worried something is wrong. He's still very much himself but he doesn't feel the same need to freeze things/people, pull pranks and so forth to get people's attention. The other guardians voluntarily give him as much attention, touches or hugs as they can, feeling guilty about how long he was left alone.

**Summerbreezeplease **_(Second reviewer of the tenth chapter)_**:** _Something with jack hurt. I really don't care what everything you write is wonderful :_D

* * *

**Touch**

Was it strange?

For him to crave touches more than an average person?

Is it weird?

If he sees a person hugging another and in reaction he hugs his staff closer to himself, pretending that the thin wood was a warm body, accepting and loving and kind and wanting?

Was he abnormal?

To hang upside down by the window and watch human beings interact, laugh, cry, yell, smile, _touch_?

_Touch._

He wonders, he _always_wonders, lifting a hand up to his own face as he stares at the window into his pale reflection. What was it like to feel the touch of another? Of someone not cold, not invisible, not with thin hands like his own? Will their touch burn him as fire did? Or will it make him feel _safe, warm…_

_…protected ?_

He wonders and ponders, and stares and stands in front of humans as they walk, even though all they ever did was pass through him.

His eyes burns, his hands clenched into fists, white-knuckled in his desperation as his vision swims and the world goes hazy as another person runs through him.

It _hurts and burns_, being walked through and not seen and not believed in by others.

But when Jack sees these people punch each other on the shoulder, hug each other casually, or ruffle someone's head, he feels a little desperate and a little hopeful. He prays, he wishes, he shouts, he whispers…

But when no one answers him, when someone walks through him again and leaves him panting on the pavement… He curls unto himself and holds on, taking comfort in his too cold and thin arms, tired of always having to hold himself as he _breaks_little by little in the course of the next few centuries.  
He yearns and hopes and wishes and prays…

But no one _sees_ him, no one _hears_ him, no one _believes_ in him…

So no one answers him.

And for the next three hundred years, the only company Jack will ever know is the Wind, and the only touch that he will ever receive… will be his own.

* * *

He defined trouble and danger, a trickster in the making-North would say- and a 'gumby' that froze water parts-would be Bunny's comment. He laughs as he free falls thousands of feet from the ground, he grins at angry yetis that try to throw him out, and freezes elves that get in the way.

The guardians had a new guardian, rambunctious, child-like with wonder, daredevil, and trickster debonair… They better get used to a life filled with pranks and jokes because Jack, the guardian of fun, was going to be death of their once uptight and boring lives.

Or so they thought.

Jack was normal in the first few days, grinning and laughing, freezing the elves, hopping down of high places and surprising a very short-tempered pooka. He replaced the yetis shampoo with pink hair dye and gave Santa sugar-free cookies for fun, he placed a bucket filled with confetti on the door just as Sandy walked in, and he led a concert for his number one fans- Tooth's mini fairies.

But the guardians never scolded him, not even Bunny-who may have grumbled here and then sometimes- as he went about his loud and zealous way of getting attention.

Instead of being shouted at or glared at, Jack gets a warm smile, a touch on the shoulder, an encouraging nod, an applause, a listening ear, a kind word, even a hug now and then.

He was frightened at first. He nearly did a judo move on Tooth when she patted him on the shoulder and he froze for about two minutes when North suddenly picked him up into a hug filled with laughter, when he saw the painted-elves running amok.

He didn't know what to feel, to be overwhelmed suddenly by these peoples who can _see_ him and _hear_ him. He didn't know what to do, when hands- noticeably warmer than his- reach out to touch him or hit him playfully.

Suddenly, people can _see_ him, suddenly people can _touch_ him.

And Jack feels the huge gaping hole where his heart was supposed to be, slowly mending from three hundred years of being walked-through.

He no longer felt that overwhelming loss in his gut, that _need_ that tugged at his body to do mischievous things to get the attention of others. He no longer flew out of reach, choosing instead to hover near the ground in cases North or Bunny needed to hug him for reasons or hit him playfully on the ribs. His hold on his staff wasn't so tight anymore, and he no longer flinched when people got near him, frightened that they might go through him again.

Instead, he leans against a touch- any touch, be it on the shoulder or a hug- and silently answers question he had formulated so long ago, that _yes_…

The touch of others _did_make him feel , safe, warm…

…and _protected._

* * *

"Hey guys." Four sets of head look up automatically at the entrance of a certain Ice spirit. However instead of going through the window and bringing a pile of snow in the globe room to annoy Bunny, Jack walks into the globe room through the door calmly, acting like a civilized person. His hood was up, staff in hand, and his left hand was shoved into the pocket of his hoodie as he grinned. "Hey what's wrong? You look like you saw a ghost."

North closes his mouth and says in a deep voice, "Bunny." Jack's right eyebrow rose when the kangaroo hopped towards the window and opened it before closing it quickly.

"It's not locked, mate." Bunny said and North looked at Jack questioningly making the guardian of Fun laugh.

"What? Can't I walk in like a normal person?" He said with a mischievous smile as he pulled a chair and sat down. Tooth and Sandy exchanged a look, usually Jack would sit on top of his staff to make sure everyone would notice him or maybe just impress them with his balance and mobility… but this time Jack was actually just sitting down on one of North's chairs.

The old Santa cleared his throat, "I'm not saying you can't, Jack. It is just… it is _not_like _you_ to walk into workshop like civilized person! Ah, no offense."

None taken." Jack said casually as an elf walked towards him with a platter of cookies. The guardians faces were expectant as Jack leaned down, waiting for him to freeze the elf like always, but instead of doing that the youngest guardian smiled. "Thanks." He said as he patted –patted!- the elf on the head gently. A few frost ferns decorated the elf's tiny red outfit, as the elf gaped at Jack.

Even the elf- Kringle- was shell-shocked!

"Jack, my boy, are you alright?" North asked seriously as his blue eyes gazed at Jack who laughed, the familiar sound eased the four guardians immediately.

"Of course I'm alright! What makes you say otherwise?" He winked and the guardians all exchanged looks but said nothing.

"It's nothing Jack, it's just-" Tooth began but then she sighed as she decided not to explain anything in cases it upset Jack. "It's nothing. North, why don't we start the meeting?" Tooth stated to the other man who nodded.

The youngest guardian didn't fail to notice the four sets of eyes that followed him as he pushed his chair towards the table.

* * *

"And _that _is why Christmas is better than Easter!" North said proudly as Bunny jumped up in his seat.

"I can't believe you called us all here to gloat about Christmas for the next two hours! Are you trying to pick a fight with _me_ North?" Bunny said as his fur bristled.

"Ah, but I did not point fingers!"

"You just said 'Easter'!" The guardian of Hope accused.

"Why you so uptight? Who are you to be so mad? The guardian of Easter?" North scoffed.

"Why, yes! YES I AM!" The pooka shouted as North let out a booming laugh. Sandy sighed quietly while beside him Tooth was talking in whispers with her fairies.

"-a bicuspid? On a sidewalk? Did you see who-?" The queen of fairies interrogated and Sandy sipped his eggnog before he turned to Jack. What he saw almost made him drop his small wooden goblet.

Jack was still sitting at his seat, yes, but he had his legs and his hood up, eyes so very, _very_ dark blue, his arms slightly shaking as he grabbed at his sleeves as though trying to seek comfort from his own touch.

The sight alarmed the sandman, making him create a giant flag made of sand as he grabbed the elf and shook him as hard as he could.

The noise coupled with the giant dream sand flag, alerted his companions except Jack, to the little man who was waving the poor elf in his hand.

"Sandy? What is it? Can you not see us arguing?" North said as he pointed to himself and Bunny. Tooth was looking at the guardian of Dreams as well.

Sandy gave them all a disapproving look before pointing at Jack urgently. The three guardians did so, and what they saw made them crinkle their eyebrows in worry.

"Jack?" Tooth called out but the boy did not move. Tooth and North exchanged worried glances but it was Bunny who hopped towards the frost spirit first.

"Frostbite?" Bunny called out but Jack wasn't looking at him. "Jack?" It was only when Bunny placed a hand on his shoulder that Jack looked up stunned, blue eyes clearing immediately at the touch.

"Bunny?" Jack whispered and then he turned and looked at North, Tooth, and Sandy. "Uh, did I miss anything? Why are you guys looking at me like that?" He chuckled awkwardly.

Bunny's eyebrows crinkled in confusion as he stared at his companions, prompting North to speak on their behalf, "Jack, are you sure you are alright?"

The guardian of fun blinked and then smiled. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure. Why?" He tilted his head, blue eyes curious.

"You- You've been acting strange lately." Tooth spoke up as she flitted forward and Bunny stepped back just as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

The young teen leaned against the touch unconsciously. The fairy pursed he lips at the feel of fragile shoulders under her small hands. "You haven't pranked anyone lately, and you've been _so quiet_, it worried us."

Sandy nodded as he made sand figures of Jack popping out of nowhere laughing.

"Not that it's a bad thing." Bunny immediately interrupted when he saw the sand figure of Jack scaring Bunny from high up. "I mean, it's almost like, before you were always on sugar high, but now you've calmed down a bit, and we ain't sure if that's a good or a bad thing mate."

Everyone nodded at Bunny's statement.

"But then you suddenly act like this, as if we weren't worried enough to be-" Bunny shut his mouth expecting Jack to retort it with a mischievous statement but instead the frost sprite gave him a soft smile and the pooka's ears flop down in his version of a blush.

Jack chuckled as he gazed at the guardians, blue eyes slightly distant.

"Yeah. I don't know either. It's just that lately I don't have that sudden urge to freeze people you know?"

_No we don't_. The guardians thought to themselves. Seeing their confusion, the winter spirit elaborated further.

"Well, uhm before- you know, before I met you guys- something inside of me always sorta _ached_ whenever I see other people." Jack explained awkwardly as he waved his hands in a meaningful way. "No one could see me, or hear me, or even _touch_me." He says and laughs as though that statement didn't carry an age old ache. "And I sorta became a bit desperate for someone, _anyone_to s-see me." His voice breaks just a bit at the last two words.

There was a heavy silence as Jack breathed in deeply to continue. "So, that's why I began starting snowball fights between kids and blizzards during spring," He gave Bunny a meaningful look and the pooka flinched like he had been slapped. The winter spirit looked down at his pale hands and fingers, they looked as young as they ever were but if only Jack's body could reflect the tiredness he felt in his heart, his hands would probably be old and wrinkled, aged and frostbitten. "I wanted to catch someone's attention. I wanted to be seen or heard, I wanted to know what it felt like when someone nudged you or patted you on the back…"

Jack clenched his hands closed as he smiled up at his fellow guardians. "But now I have you guys." He said breathlessly. "You can see me, hear me, touch me… You don't go through me like I'm not there, like I don't exist…" He said the last in a quiet voice but his smiled brightened as he laughed.

"That's probably why I began acting 'calmer'," He did the air quotes with finesse. "I don't feel the need to catch your attention anymore because you're there and you smile at me and listen to me and pat me on the back even when I-"

But Jack was suddenly cut off when Tooth threw herself into his arms. He could feel something wet drip onto his cold hoodie as he held the fairy uncertainly. "Tooth?" He asked worriedly but then his eyes widened when he felt a furry arm go around his shoulder and a certain guardian of hope leaned against him. Jack could see the sad flop of the long ears. "Bunny? Sandy?" Jack said when he saw someone golden nuzzle onto his shoulder.

He looked up at North who was the only one not hugging him, and he could see sad blue eyes looking at him. "North?"

But the old Santa said nothing, and instead he opened his arms wide and enveloped all of the guardians into a silent hug that conveyed so many messages.

_We're sorry._

_For judging you so quickly, I'm sorry._ Bunny thought as his arm tightened around the guardian of fun.

_For not being there, I'm sorry._Tooth sobbed quietly into the blue hoodie.

_For not coming for you sooner, I'm sorry._Sandy's small hands tightened on the cold fabric.

_For not saving you from loneliness, I'm sorry._North's eyes closed sadly.

_We're sorry._

And Jack's eyes widened as he felt everyone clung to him, like-like they couldn't get enough of his company, as though- as though his existence was important, like…

…like they wanted nothing more than for him to be there, _with_them.

"It's alright." Someone, Tooth, said softly onto his shoulder. "We're here. We'll always be here. You don't have to be alone anymore."

And Jack trembled, not from the heat surrounding him completely, not because of the uncomfortably closed space he was in… No.

He was shaking because of the meaningful words and warmth the others' touch gave him.

"We love you."

He was shaking because he had never been touched as long as this before. He was shaking because no one has ever told him these words before. He was shaking not from sadness or anger or grief…

He was shaking from happiness, trying to suppress the burning in his eyes as he felt the need to shed tears, _not_ because of loneliness this time but because he realized… he _no longer_ had to hold himself alone during cold lonely nights when he felt abandoned by the world, he _no longer_ had to rely on his own cold hands to keep himself together and to pick up the shattered remains of a three hundred year-old heart that was tired of beating…

And Jack realized, that not _only_ was he safe, warm, and protected…

…he was _loved_ too.

* * *

**Author's notes: **So, this is for OP!Anon and **summerbreezeplease. **I know some of you have read this, I just decided to post this here since it is a family fic XD

I also edited it to make it more hurty-feely (no that's not a word XD).

**Summerbreezeplease** didn't specify what type of _hurt_ so I'm going with 'feels' hurt. ENJOY!

**Review Replies:**

**Jesters of the Moon: **Oh man, you read Frosted Perfection? I haven't even edited it yet, there were a lot of errors too XD Well, I'm happy you enjoyed it as well as the other fics though!

**Dragowolf: **THANKS! Hahaha, headcanons are awesome, I think I wanna hear other people's headcannons too :P

**JayaEmera: **Oh, no need to be embarrassed! I'm happy you enjoyed! Thank you for always commenting! (And it's not perfect *covers face in embarrassment*)

**Lovepuppy316: **YOU NOTICED! *hugs you* I'm so happy you noticed the endings, I work hard to make them sound so good! THANK YOU!

**Emeraldbuttercup: **XD I'll try, but you have to wait for it though O. O

**Dark Inu Fan: **Thanks Dark, school is so boring but I will try my best! THANK YOU for always commenting!

**Book girl fan: **It's really embarrassing, to keep you waiting. I've deleted the fic over and over again because it doesn't come out as good as I wanted to D: But thanks for always reviewing T^T

THANKS TO EVERYONE ELSE TOO, I'm sorry I can't reply to all but I'm really busy T^T

OH AND BY THE WAY! For those who keep requesting on reviews (sweatdrops) guys, one at a time okay? I'll do my best to get to you soon. But I won't take up everything but I'll do my best! XD

Thanks for understanding and hopefully, I'll update soon!

Oh, and _shout out _to my friend, KEVIN, who has (somewhat) started reading my fanfics! HEY KEVIN! Hope you keep reading this! XD

See you!


	24. What He Should've Done

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary:** Those times when Bunny used Hope to hurt Jack's feelings and that one time he tried to make amends.

_**Prompt:**_ When Bunny and Jack argue (and even when they don't), Bunny seems to go straight for the jabs about Jack not being believed in. More than Pitch, even, who is a.) the villain and b.) knows Jack's fears. So what if, just like Pitch knows fears due to his domain, Bunny knows everyone's greatest hope?

Anon, give me Bunny knowing damn well that Jack wants someone to see him/talk to him/touch him and exploiting the hell out of it over the years to win their fights. After all, Jack Frost is just some selfish brat that ruins other spirits' holidays, so it doesn't matter, right?

+10000 Post-movie, Bunny realizes he was wrong about Jack and feels guilty as hell.  
+10000000 Bunny never realized how much it meant to Jack. It's only after the fact, when he's taking a closer look at Jack's hopes, that he realizes how cruel he was being.

* * *

**What He Should've Done**

_**Past…**_

He knows people's hopes as well as Pitch knew people's fears.

Being the guardian of Hope and Life, it was Bunny's job to coax any small, dwindling hope into something bright and all encompassing that left his own heart feeling _warm _and _satiated._

He _built_ hope, he didn't _destroy_ them.

But even so- there _were days_…

Days where his temper was at its shortest, days when North's friendly jabs were just plain insulting, days when the world shifts from Spring and Summer to Autumn and Winter, days when he just felt downright annoyed and angry and hurt-

Being the last of his kind- he never really got over the initial pain.

And then, that's when _Jack_ would come in.

A small, thin, sprite with hope ranging from a flickering candle to an encompassing fire. He always had a wide grin his face, his expression snarky, eyes mischievous, hands gripping his staff ready to create a tiny snowfall-

And Bunny would just _snap_.

He would snap at the littlest of things the other did. It didn't matter to him if it was on accident or on purpose, Jack just always managed to get him so riled up at the smallest of things.

It's because during those days Jack would come, Bunny just couldn't _take it_ anymore. He had enough.

He was tired and angry and annoyed, and this- _this_ winter sprite would suddenly come in and taunt like he was _so much better_ than Bunny-

So Bunny snapped.

And he only did so because he thought Jack needed a lesson.

The hope the sprite carried around with him was so _fragile_, so _breakable_- and even though he should be horrified, even though he should've handled the other's feelings with care like a _proper guardian_- he didn't.

Because he thought Jack didn't deserved to be cared for.

"The people who can't see you are so lucky." He should stop. He shouldn't say anymore, he couldn't keep talking like this- "They don't have to deal with you like I have to."

And Jack would get a shattered look in his eyes after the initial shock at the words that came from Bunny's mouth. His hands would clench against his staff as he looked away, trying to hide the hurt in his face.

But Bunny wasn't finished, "What're ya still doing here, then? Can't tell when you're not wanted anymore?" And sometimes, Jack would leave. After icing Bunny's tail for good measure, he would leave and keep away for at least a few days. But still, there were days, days he would steel himself and look at the Pooka right in the eyes- a pathetic attempt at nonchalance.

"I'm sorry." Jack would say in sarcastic tone, not sorry at all. He was floating several inches from the ground, his stance a defensive one. "Your expression hardly changes from that grumpy look that I didn't know you never wanted me here at all." He taunted.

And when that did happen, Bunny had to dig a little deeper. He had to concentrate and pull out the heart's deepest and purest hopes-

But with Jack, he didn't have to dig around too deep.

If he had taken the time to stop and think, maybe he would've noticed the pattern- the way Jack kept coming back to him despite all the hurtful words he let fly. Maybe if he'd stopped, thought, and observed, he would've seen the haunted look behind the mischievous mask, the sad sag of the shoulders as the boy quietly wished to be seen, heard, and loved.

But Bunny didn't notice.

He didn't care and didn't want to care.

He took Jack's deepest and greatest hope and set it out in the open to be trampled on.

"It's because you don't deserve to be smiled at, Frostbite." And maybe he should've stopped there, should've seen the visible flinch, but he raged on relentlessly.

_Jack brought this upon himself._

"Hey-"

"You don't deserve to be seen either!" Bunny continued, his hackles rising in fury. "What?" He responded to the hope he felt dwindle with each word, "You want to be seen? To be heard? In yer dreams! Yer the way you are right now-" _Unseen, unheard, unloved_. "-because you deserve it!"

He could've stopped when he saw the wide blue eyes darkening with his words. He could've stopped when he saw the subtle shaking and the opening and closing of Jack's mouth as he tried to think of a reply.

He could've _stopped_.

But he didn't.

And so, it went on.

"You want to have a _home_? A family you can come home to, a family to care for?" He called out Jack's hopes, pointing at their flaws and sneering at them, "Well open your eyes! Look around you!" Bunny wildly gestured to their surroundings. "There's no one there! No one to _see _you or _hear _you or _want _you! You think someone out there will want someone like _you_?" He let out a rough laugh. "Keep dreaming!"

And Jack visibly deflated as Bunny stepped towards him, green eyes steely as he growled with pure dislike.

"You make a bloody mess wherever ya go." He said as he prodded Jack in the chest with every word. It was pathetic, the way Jack's body was easily pushed back with every prod. "No one will ever believe in you, no one will ever want to be friend with ya. Yer all alone and you'll forever be alone. And that _won't_ change." He looked down at blank blue eyes, "Not in a hundred years, not even in a thousand-"

_BAM!_

His cheek was stinging, the pain barely registering in his mind as he looked at the Ice imp in shock.

Jack's fist was still raised and shaking, Bunny's paw went to his boomerang, ready to get into a fight- but it didn't look like Jack was going to hit him again.

The young elemental's face was one of horror, his breathing just as shaky as his raised fist. His blue eyes were wide and unbelieving, traces of tears already forming but the young spirit seemed unaware. They look so haunted and so _hopeless…_

And Bunny flinched at that.

Jack didn't say anything as silently placed his hand down and turned his back on Bunny. His shoulders were raised in a defensive manner as though he was expecting the guardian of Hope to attack him while he had his back turned.

"Well," The voice was hoarse and forced and- to Bunny's utter horror- thick with held back tears. "I know when I'm not wanted. I-I'll be leaving then." And Jack raised his hood to cover his face from the light as he pursed his lips. "Don't worry, I- I won't be coming back, anymore."

And Bunny should've apologized then and there. He should've reached out a hand and grabbed the sprite back to set things right. It should've been the usual meaningless banter with only a few heated words, but then it got out of hand.

Bunny had crushed someone's hope.

He had crushed the light he swore to protect.

And even though in the inside, he felt a sick sense of satisfaction at having the power to degrade an opponent like that, there was also a gut-wrenching feeling churning in his stomach.

Jack flew onto the air, the shards of his remaining hope cutting Bunny to the core as the Pooka fell unto a kneel heaving.

He was the guardian of Hope.

He grew hope in places where there was none. He built them, he _didn't_ destroy them.

And yet he did.

And Bunny never saw Jack again after that.

Not until the Blizzard of '68.

* * *

_**Present…**_

It was the first time Bunny had felt such a warm weight against his chest, so comforting and buzzing with contentment that he had to pause and sigh in comfort.

It was the familiar sense of someone hoping and being happy. Only stronger.

But as suddenly as it came about, it was quickly crushed. Like a blossoming flower stepped on by heavy footfalls.

His head snapped to the side in reflex action.

Where did it come from? That sudden burst of hope? So _warm_ and _pure_, it encompassed the rabbit like a gentle flame. What caused that hope to be crushed so suddenly just like that?

Around Bunny was the usual crowd of people or rather, _creatures_, none looking like they recently had their hopes crushed in any way. The yetis were about, bringing them cookies, others painting even while they cleaned the room. The elves were running amok with the cookies in their hands, giggling and letting out squeals of delight whenever the yetis tried to step on them.

None of them looked like their Hope died recently.

Aside from the yetis and the elves, Bunny's fellow guardians were there as well. They had been scheduling their next get-together by helping Tooth with her nightly rounds again before they drifted into lazy conversation and eventually into comfortable silence.

The fire was warm and it gave their room a familial glow. North was eating cookies as he patted his belly and asked for more sweets. Tooth was not far, directing her fairies as usual, but she kept throwing frowns and glares at North's way. Her violet eyes narrowed in clear disapproval. Sandy, meanwhile, was drifting about, a mug of eggnog on his hand, but his face was downturned, eyes closed as one of the female yetis attempted to get him to lie on the nearest sofa.

Only one guardian was not part of this strangely familial scene.

And that certain guardian was lounging against the coldest place in the room. By the windows.

Bunny shifted, his eyes towards the other.

A gentle light shone through the windows. The moon graced Jack with his presence, the young guardian's hood was up again as he leaned his head against the cool glass, blue eyes staring at the scene Bunny had been gazing at momentarily before.

A small smile played on Jack's lips as his eyes roamed the room, and Bunny felt the beginning of that warmth in his chest again-

-But then Jack saw Bunny staring at him and the growing hope was crushed, as the winter spirit gave him a forced smile and a wave.

Bunny let out a hiss of pain as he turned his eyes away from Jack quickly. He dropped the egg he had been painting, catching the guardians' attention.

"Bunny?" North said, getting up as he finally put down the cookie he had been eating. The old warrior looked up and caught a glimpse of worry in the Cossack's face. "Is something the matter, friend?"

The Pooka raised a hand, waving it slightly as he saw Tooth hovering nearby, clearly worried. Sandy had woken up from his sleep with a jolt, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Even Jack had jumped down from where he was sitting, hood still up, but his face was set in an expression of worry as well.

"'M fine." Bunny tried not to wheeze as he bent down to pick up his egg. "Just feeling a little stuffy. Think I should go an' take a walk." He mumbled as he winced and placed the egg on a nearby table.

"Do you want us to come with you?" Tooth asked, not even questioning why Bunny would like to take a 'walk' when it's so cold outside.

"Nah," Bunny started to say but then he caught a flash of blue from the corner of his eyes and he quickly amended his statement, "But I don't mind Frostbite coming with me."

Jack who had turned to go back to his little corner, turned abruptly in surprise. "What?" He wasn't the only one surprised.

"Ya don't have to come if ya don't want to." Bunny said with a casual shrug as he got up. But just as he was about to hop forward, his limbs froze, as in _literally froze_ since Jack pointed his crook at the other's legs, freezing his movements.

"I didn't say I wasn't coming." The guardian of Fun grumbled and Bunny shivered as the ice melted as quickly as it came. He shot the other a dark look as he rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation.

Well, Bunny brought this upon himself. No use complaining.

"Let's get going then." Bunny grumbled as he and Jack went out of the doors. Leaving the guardians behind, wondering if they should follow or not.

* * *

It wasn't the most comfortable of silences.

There was a tension in the air, Bunny never noticed before existed. Jack was walking behind him, in a surprisingly slow manner, his hood still up, and his shoulders hunched up as he looked around, trying not to look at Bunny, trying not to initiate a conversation.

Whatever faint flicker of hope that was there before had been crushed by Bunny's invitation, the void and hopelessness Jack felt was like a punch in the gut. Which is why, it wasn't really surprising that Bunny was leaning against a nearby pillar before he was aware of what he was doing.

"Bunny?" And the voice was worried even though Bunny knew deep inside him that he deserved not an ounce of it.

Wide blue eyes were looking at him, panic across the young features and Bunny suddenly remembered an event so long ago, an event that always nagged at the back of his mind begging for his attention, _begging for him to make things right_- but he ignored.

"I'm not really good at this." The old Pooka suddenly started saying in an awkward tone. Jack's eyes widened, he was probably thinking that the old warrior was going crazy- spouting strange things all of a sudden. The guardian of Hope amended, "I'm not- It's just- I'm not good with getting along with winter elementals, what with being the opposite of what I protect and live for."

If the winter spirit was stunned before, right now he was just simply slack-jawed, his eyes were gazing at the Pooka with honest confusion- but there was something else there too. A small panic in the blue eyes as Jack looked around.

"We should get back inside. It's getting colder-"

"Jack." And the young spirit quieted when the older guardian used his name. He refused to look at the other, his hands fiddling with the old staff in his hands. The pooka shifted uncomfortably, his ears back as he held in a breath before letting it all out in an exasperated sigh. "I'm sorry."

Silence.

"What?" Jack said in a breathless tone, clearly thinking he had not heard right.

Bunny frowned but he kept his eyes trained to the ground. He never liked admitting his mistakes, he was also never the one to apologize, since he was always confident that he was always in the side of right. But there were exceptions, times when he'd realized he'd gone too far.

He was the guardian of Hope, and it was time to do his job.

"I was wrong." And his chest still hurt because Jack's hopelessness was so _obvious_, and then with a drop to his stomach he realized _he_ caused that. "Thought you were a no good nuisance that always got in everybody's way. I got mad at ya' and took out my annoyance at ya- I- Ya didn't deserve the way I treated you."

Jack's eyes were wide now, his breathing quick as though he didn't believe that this was actually happening.

"I shouldn't have said the things I said. Shouldn't have crushed out yer hopes like that. I should've done what I always did and let yer hope grow and maybe even help yer hope become a reality." There were many things he _should've done_, times when he should've stopped, or times when he should've said different things. But that didn't matter now, _now_ he was making amends for all his mistakes. And he only hoped that Jack would find it in his heart to forgive him.

But then again, three hundred years is a long time.

When Jack continued to say nothing, his face shadowed by his hood, Bunny continued to speak, quicker this time, trying to get in all his regrets out before Jack iced him-

-Or punched him again.

"Yer a great person, and a great guardian. Ya care about the kids and ya know how to get along with them. Ya taught us guardians what we have forgotten so long ago. That we protect children because we care about them." Bunny said in a soft tone. "And all the things I said before, about not having home and a family to care for- I didn't mean it. Any person would be lucky to have ya as their family, least of all their friend. And about the home thing, I'm sure ya can see that yer welcome at North's any time. And yer welcome at mine."

Silence.

"I-" And the voice was shaking and hoarse but Bunny caught the words anyway. "But you were right about me Bunny. I make a mess wherever I go and right now, even after three hundred years I still don't-" Jack suck in a quick breath as he shook his head, white bangs falling over blue eyes, hiding them from view. "-still don't have a family. Not even a _friend_."

And honestly, Bunny could've whacked him with a boomerang with all the nonsense the other spouted.

But he didn't whack Jack with his weapon. He didn't even roll his eyes or sigh in exasperation, instead he did what he always thought the sprite needed.

He stepped forward and gave the other a hug.

He could feel the reacting coldness to his sudden action. He tried not to wince as the frost spread through his warm fur and he shivered as Jack jumped slightly. His teeth chattered but he pushed down his discomfort and spoke. "North is yer friend, Sandy and Tooth too. I'm yer friend- no," Bunny amended. "We're a _family_ now, Frostbite."

And it hurt just a little inside, when Jack let out a cry of disbelief. It made his heart ache when Jack clung to him unsurely, grip loosening a few times before strengthening as the other buried his cold face on Bunny's shoulder.

The warmth before blossomed in Bunny's chest, the hope of a forgotten Frost child _regrowing_, albeit very slowly. And the old Pooka shushed the young winter spirit as he murmured his apologies and assurances.

"I'm sorry. It's going to be alright, yer fine, yer not alone anymore." The guardian of Hope assured as Jack's hood came down, while the young guardian held onto him tighter, shaking slightly. And the Easter rabbit's ears pressed back against his skull as he said in a quiet tone once more, "I'm sorry."

And Jack's only reply was to press closer into the warmth he had long gone without.

And for now, that was enough for Bunny.

It would take time, he knew, to be forgiven by someone he hurt more that words could ever express. But he was prepared to make amends, to spend the rest of eternity doing what he can to show the young sprite that yes-

He was seen, heard, and loved.

And yes-

Jack had a home now, complete with family and friends that _care_ for him.

* * *

**Author's notes: **Thank you for the wonderful reviews as always everyone! My exams have ended recently and I went to writing quickly! Man, it's good to be back (albeit temporarily)! I have so many prompts to go through (everyone cames making a request and I'm confused now)! I'm ver happy with yer requests though, still- it will take a _long_ time to go through them.

And there's still _**Book fan girl's**_birthday fic.

*sulks in a corner* I'm a horrible friend! I've repeated that fic seven times and the angle still isn't good enough! I'll do better I swear!

To those who reviewed, thank you! I'll get to you via pm, I have a lot of stuff going on today so I'll reply to you soon hopefully!

So this thing is one of my headcanon's for _why_ Jack did Blizzard of '68. I have a lot of opinions for that thing but I hope this is good enough to warrant everyone's attention!

**Additonal notes for the feels:** The sad thing was, when Bunny ranted on Jack being alone and having no family, he was also sort of referring to himself. He was also telling himself to look around, to realize that he had no family to come home to anymore.

SO THANKS AGAIN! I'LL DEFINITELY UPDATE SOME TIME THIS WEEK!

CIAO FOR NOW!


	25. Who Will Protect You?

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **The guardians will protect the children, Jack will protect the guardians- but who will protect Jack in turn?

**_Prompt:_**_ In the final confrontation of the movie, when the other Guardians are still powerless, Pitch asks who will protect them. In response, Jaime and his friends step up and say they will, but just prior to that moment, Jack started to move forward as if he was going to face Pitch on his own._

What if he did?

Does he lose? Does he win at a great cost that leaves him too weak to go on? What if Jack DID face down Pitch at that time?

Wherever it goes from there is up to filler, just run with that.

**Warning: **Eh, I'm not sure if this is a good story, my sister convinced me to post it here but I was like -_- while I read over this. I'm sorry in advance!

* * *

_Set during the movie_

**Who Will Protect You?**

"And who will protect _you_?" Pitch sneered as the kids all shifted uncomfortably, their fear getting the best of them for that moment. North, paler than usual, paled even more as he tried to lift his swords, Tooth not being able to do anything but flutter her wings feebly, even Bunny- the brave warrior- shrunk down into a defensive ball.

Jack pursed his lips, stepping forward as wide eyes followed his movements. Unusually graceful still, his powers not tied to the children like the guardians.

His face was a perfect mask of calm as he smirked at the bogeyman who growled at him. "Really Pitch? Is that really something you have to ask?"

Pitch let out a wild laugh, "You? You expect that little Jack Frost will protect these- _these_ vermin who call themselves guardians? You think you can win?"

Jack gripped his staff tightly, a smile on his face. "I can try."

"Jack..." Tooth said, covering her mouth in shock, violet eyes teary.

North shook his had, "No Jack! Pitch is too strong! Step back, boy- I-"

"Hey, it's fine." Jack said, not turning to look at them as he spoke. "I can handle a little fear."

"Frostbite." Bunny murmured. Jamie and his friends looked at Jack in worry.

"Little?" Pitch shouted, enraged. He lifted his arms, showing his impressive battalions of nightmares. Dark sand rising like wave over the city. "You call this little?" He laughed, "Are you mad, Jack Frost?"

"Maybe I am." Jack grinned widely, anyone would've been fooled, but even as he rose into the air, Jamie noticed the way his hands shook.

But he wasn't the only one who noticed.

"Oh, you _are_ afraid." The nightmare king gave him a sharp toothed smile. "You're afraid of various of things. What _if_ you lose? All hopes, dreams, memories will be wiped from the planet and only fear shall remain, of course! And who will protect the children when you're gone? Oh, certainly not the guardians! Look at them! Barely able to stand up on their own two feet."

Jack set his shoulders, not answering, swinging his staff, just as harsh wind blew to rush him towards his enemy.

A rush of ice and blue came at Pitch, which he deflected with a finger.

"Honestly, I don't understand why you'd fight for these losers." Pitch said as he dodged another attack, neatly side stepping to the side as the winter sprite attacked him head on. "I mean, really, you'd think that after three hundred years of not even talking to you or taking interest in you- someone would be put off. Are you really that persistent to get in their good books?"

Bunny's ears pressed against his skull at the truth of Pitch's words.

"They're better than you." Jack replied through gritted teeth as he came at Pitch again, tumbling on the air as he dodged nightmares that came around him like a tornado, keeping him trapped.

"In what way?" Pitch asked, bored.

"They protect the children!" Jack shouted as he blew away all of the nightmare sand with a loud scream. The kids jumped in awe at the display of ice overcoming darkness. Light blue against black.

Pitch snarled as he raised his hand, "But they're not protecting _you_!"

Jack let out a choked gasp as the sand caught him on the shoulder, spreading like his frost through his side, climbing up his hoodie turning it black.

The sprite fell to the ground gasping, a few feet away.

"JACK!" The guardians yelled in horror as the children let out their own cries. Monty looked like he was about to faint.

Tooth tried desperately to fly towards him but she kept falling down, North hobbling towards the fairy. Bunny was the only one nimble enough to get to the other as the kids ran to Tooth and North's side.

"Oh come now Jack, don't fight it." The bogeyman crooned. "It's useless. The guardians will protect the children, you'll protect the guardians, but there's no one there to protect _you_. Don't you just want to end the suffering and be _my_ fearling prince?"

"I'm-" Jack gasped, Bunny sniffed the dark sand, green eyes wide. The Frost spirit turned to the Pooka giving him a pained smile before breathing heavily. "I-I-"

Jack gritted his teeth as he touched his staff to his side. Pitch's eyes widened when the frost overlapped the darkness, freezing Jack's contaminated side. Blue eyes, one darker than the other, glared at him. "I won't be your fearling, Pitch." He gasped as his expression became more determined. "And no one has to protect me. I took care of myself for three hundred years. And I know _that_ won't change."

Bunny looked up the other, green eyes darkening in sadness, "Jack."

The nightmare king growled as he raised a scythe made of dark sand. "Fine!" He yelled. "DIE! AND SEE IF I CARE!" He threw the massive scythe towards the immobile frost boy as Jack picked up Bunny and turned his back on Pitch, to cover the guardian of Hope.

"JACK!" Tooth yelled in desperation, violet eyes let out a curse as he hobbled forward, hands outstretched but falling, tripping, his swords clattering to the ground as he looked on with horror-filled eyes.

However, a small figure ran past them and towards Jack.

Jamie Bennett sprinted as fast as his legs could carry towards Jack, hands outstretched when he saw blue eyes closed as the scythe was mere seconds away from him.

"NO!" Jamie shouted, his fingers outstretched and barely brushing the black sand.

It was only a second of contact, but it was enough.

And just like that, there was an explosion of light-

Golden sand spread across the dark sand, overlapping darkness with light as Jack looked up in wonder and amazement, still clutching the small rabbit in his arms.

"Sandy." Jack murmured in awe, blue eyes following the stretch of the familiar golden sand. However, he looked down when he felt Bunny tug at his hoodie.

The mini sized rabbit look up at him, green eyes, so wise and old for his current form, shining with an unreadable emotion.

"Everything's going to be alright now, mate." Bunny whispered and Jack smiled.

"Yeah." He whispered, looking up again. "I know."

He missed the frown Bunny directed his way.

* * *

Sandy looked Jack up and down, a nurse's hat made of sand on top of his golden hair. He smiled widely as he gave a double thumbs up towards the other guardians.

North and Tooth let out a sigh of relief as Bunny crossed his arms. The recently named guardian of Fun placed a hand on his shoulder, twisting it experimentally.

"No trace of Pitch's dark sand anywhere." Jack said as he gave them a cocky simper. "See? I told you I was fine!"

"Ah, but we still had to make sure Jack." North said with heartfelt worry that made Jack lose his mischievous look.

The boy looked down awkwardly, "Er yeah, thanks for taking me back to the North Pole to patch me up." He watched his feet swing over the ground, as he sat on the edge of the bed. "You didn't have to really, I could have rolled around on the snow and gotten better anyway."

"Of course we had to do that Jack!" Tooth said as she hovered closely. "You saved us and the children! It's the least we can do!"

The sprite sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "It was Jamie who saved us, not me."

"No, you saved us too." North assured him. "We are eternally grateful."

"Yeah." Jack bit his lip, still not looking up at them. North raised an eyebrow and he exchanged looks with Tooth.

Sandy looked at Bunny and the two seem to have reached an understanding.

"Although there's something I have to run through with you Frostbite." Bunny spoke as Sandy hovered, nodding. The sprite's eyebrows scrunched as he looked up. "It's about something you said earlier to Pitch, something I don't agree with."

Jack looked at the rabbit, not knowing what he was getting to. "What? You upset that a small ice imp like me protected the big bad six-foot-one Easter Kangaroo?"

The Pooka grumbled, unamused, but Sandy gave him a look and he rolled his eyes as he spoke again. "No, ya galah. I was talking about the 'taking care of yourself' bit."

Jack's mouth fell open as Tooth and North stared at Bunny and Sandy who was nodding fiercely. Even though Sandy had been buried in Pitch's sand, he had seen what had happened.

"Oh." The sprite's voice was small, as he looked down again. His lips pursed, "What about it?"

"'What about it?'" Bunny repeated as he raised an eyebrow. "What are we? A bunch of stunned mullets?"

Jack's head snapped up, confused. "What?"

Tooth got what Bunny was trying to say as she smiled and flitted to the Frost child. "What Bunny's trying to say, Jack, is that-" She looked over to North who stepped forward and placed his large hands on the other's shoulders.

"You are alone no longer." The Cossack whispered.

Blue eyes blinked in surprise. "I-" Jack's face scrunched up, blue eyes closing. "I don't understand."

"It will change Jack. You are not alone anymore." North said quietly. "We will take care of you now."

Jack's mouth fell open, gaping at them in shock before he suddenly laughed. Blue eyes were wide with disbelief as he shook his head. "I'm sorry North but I think I just misheard you- but I think you just said-Oof!"

The young guardian was cut off when Tooth threw herself into the other's arms. "Tooth?" Jack said in a muffled voice.

"We can protect you too." Tooth said quietly.

"I'm sorry, what are you-"

Bunny sighed, "Yer a right gumby ain't ya?" North sat beside the frost spirit, Jack turning to look at him as the fairy finally let go, folding her hands over her lap as she sat on the sprite's other side.

"Jack Frost, we protect the children, you protect us..." North said with a smile, his expression softening significantly. "But we will protect you too."

Jack blinked in surprise his throat constricting suddenly with an unknown feeling as his hands fidgeted and he looked at Bunny who nodded in exasperation as Sandy gave him a double thumbs up.

"Wha- I..." Jack gulped, "Is this because I saved you guys? I told you, I didn't-"

"No." Bunny cut him off. "It's not because of that."

"It's because we care about you, Jack." Tooth smiled sweetly. "I know it's hard to believe after-" The guardian of Memories winced but she shook her head. "We care about you, and it would mean a lot to us if you let us show you, that we _will_ protect you too." She turned teary amethyst eyes at the other. "Will you?"

There was silence as Jack contemplated the revelation.

Suddenly a small smile graced the young guardian's lips as he tilted his head, white bangs brushing to the side and his ice blue eyes shining with _joy_. "I would like that."

And this time Jack was prepared when Tooth pulled him into another hug. And he laughed when Sandy and North joined in, and eventually, so did Bunny.

And so, the next time Jack Frost was outnumbered, injured and breathing heavily, he does not shake in fear but rather, he grinned at the opponent instead.

The villain growled, "You protect the children, but who will protect _you_, Jack Frost?"

The kids cried behind him. Jack's eyes narrowed but his grin widened, luminescent against his pale features. "Why, I'm glad you asked that actually." He said breathlessly, "Guys! You ready yet?"

The enemy started when a boomerang suddenly came out of nowhere, hitting him right on the chest.

"Sorry we took so long, mate. You okay? Don't worry, we'll beat this guy up real good."

"How dare you damage Jack's face! You better pray hard that you didn't chip his teeth!"

"_Bud'te gotovy , strannyy chelovek, odetyy v nizhneye bel'ye nazad!_"

Various signs made of golden sand appeared before it took hold of the villain in a tight grip, Jack laughed when the enemy whimpered like a girl.

_Life as a guardian is good._ Jack thought as his smile softened when the guardians berated the enemy like overprotective parents. He found it amusing but also deeply touching. Then he inhaled deeply and thought back to what the enemy asked.

Who will protect _you_ Jack Frost?

Jack smiled at that. _Why, the guardians will of course!_ Jack thought happily as he flew to join the others in saving the kids.

_Since, they promised after all._

_The guardians will protect the children and I will protect the guardians..._

_And they will protect me with all they've got, in turn._

* * *

**Translation: **_Bud'te gotovy , strannyy chelovek, odetyy v nizhneye bel'ye nazad!_ - Be prepared, strange man wearing his underwear backwards!

**Important notes: **I'm flattered with all the anons sending me requests via revews (XD) but I would like to make one thing clear, I'm not accepting requests at the moment, I'm sorry D: I'm focusing with finishing the prompts of the hundredths reviewers and of the first reviewers of a certain chapter. But if the anons would really like me to **write their fics**, then they can submit an official request on my blog where I will post their ideas, since Ice Cubes have a lot of lined up ideas to post it here. Thank you for understanding!

**Author's notes: ***glaring at what she has written* ARGH! I didn't want to- but- After all your wonderful reviews, support, and patience! I'm really sorry that the fic turned out *flinches* like _this_! I'M SORRY!

I swear I'll do better next time D:

Anyway, thank you once more for the wonderful reviews guys!

**Special thanks to all reviewers, favoriters, and followers!**

Thank you **Book fan girl**, I'm lucky to have a friend who had the patience of a saint T^T

And to **Anonymous** from tumblr, thank you for posting your wonderful comment *huggles* It meant a lot to me T^T

Thank you guys for all the support and reviews and likes and favorites! You guys rock!

THANK YOU!

Until next time!


	26. Cold Comforts

**_Ice Cubes_**

**Summary:** Four times Jack comforted the guardians and one time they comforted him.

**Notes: **My ideas this time :D Got this one while I was studying. Apparently my creative juices are flowing when I'm forcing myself _not to _write DX

**Cold Comforts**

* * *

_Sanderson Mansnoozie_

* * *

It was alarming, the fact there were quite a number of people who preferred sleeping to waking up.

Despite being the guardian of Dreams, Sanderson Mansnoozie never liked the fact that people slept more than their shared hours in a day. Even though people found dreams tempting, reality was there for a reason. You had to wake up and _live through_ life to make these dreams come true.

Because that was what dreams were for. To be your motivation, to keep you going, to give you reason to live through everyday with a smile on your face, hope heavy in your heart.

But like how dreams can keep you living, nightmares can tear you apart and actually kill you.

Granted, Pitch was temporarily weak and they won't be seeing him any time soon, nightmares were still potent and needed in the world for a balance. But sometimes they would tip the scales and-

Sandy covered his worn-out face with tired hands.

He had come too late again.

He was kneeling down on a bedside of an unmoving child. The sandman let his hands drop, reaching out to take hold of smaller hands than his as he looked at the features of such a young human. His golden eyes were filled with tears, a few escaping to roll down his face as he apologized wordlessly, his mouth forming the words but not the words.

She had died in her sleep. Nightmares had eaten up her dreams, caused her heart to stop, and her soul to be taken to the afterlife.

He knew it wasn't his fault, all over the world people suffered from nightmares. Some strong enough to wake up on their own or lucky enough to have others watch them sleep, while others too weak that the fight for their life had barely lasted a few seconds.

But either way, Sandy had always done his best to rush towards any hints of strong nightmares. Sometimes he was lucky enough to apply his sand before things got too worse but other times, times like this, he would be _too late_.

He mourned them. Every little child and adult that died from sleep. Every person whose lives were stolen by dreams good or bad. He'd sprinkle a little sand on them when it's too late, even if it's just to ease the suffering by a little, to change their expression to a peaceful one.

Then he'd kneel by their bedsides in a silent vigil, because they at least deserved to have someone beside them as they go through this. And when everything is silent again, when breaths slow to a stop, and the twisting and struggling lessen until they completely stop- Sandy offers a small prayer as he cries.

And then he leaves to mourn by himself.

It's happened at least a thousand times now, but it doesn't make things easier on him, doesn't stop the throbbing of his heart as he watched people pass away from dreams he so cherished even if they were nightmare.

Sometimes the old wishing star would wish, as he sits by himself beside a lake hidden in a forest or in a pond far from human eyes, that Pitch was here again. Even though he was the Nightmare King, he was like Sandy in a way and he did not like it when people passed away from dreams or nightmares.

True, Pitch did not mourn them like Sandy did, but his obvious distaste towards the Nightmares that would kill and the way he would reign them in afterwards always made the guardian of Dreams feel better.

But now, Sandy was alone. He was mourning alone again.

"Hey, Sandy!" A voice disrupts his mourning and the Sandman blinks his teary eyes as he sees a white contrast against the dark night. He raised a hand in greeting a weak smile on his face.

Bright blue eyes dimmed at the unenthusiastic greeting, narrowing as Jack Frost gracefully landed in front of the other, eyebrows crinkling. "Something wrong?"

Sandy blinks and waves his hands in a way that mean, '_What do you mean?_'

Jack sat himself beside the other, blue eyes looking at Sandy trying to drag the answer out of him. "You're not using your sand to communicate."

At those words, Sandy dropped his hands and nodded, his sand feebly forming his sorrow and despair and Jack stayed silent for several seconds.

"I take it, something happened?" The Frost spirit said and Sandy just nodded mutely, eyes training to look at the frozen lake. At the back of his mind he realized he was in Jack's lake, he had come to the nearest lake which was actually in Burgess.

"Okay." Jack said simply as he leaned against the other, the guardian of Dream's eyebrows rising in surprise. Usually Jack didn't initiate contact, still a bit wary and unused to it. "I'll keep you company."

Golden eyes widened, Sandy using his sand to ask, '_You're not going to ask me what happened?_'

Jack smiled before pouting in mock hurt, "Hey I'm not that insensitive. You can tell me when you feel like it. I'm not going to force you."

A grateful feeling swelled in the guardian of Dream's heart as he smiled sadly, leaning back against Jack. The pain and hurt in his heart, though, still was not dispelled as he looked at the Man in the Moon, wondering if the little girl was okay now, wondering if her parents had found her yet, if they were already crying and calling relatives and hospitals even though it was too late-

Something yellow was shoved in Sandy's line of sight, the scent of something fragrant but not overpowering curled against his senses as he held out a hand and took the _flowers_ Jack Frost gave him. He gave the other a look, blue eyes weren't looking at him. The teen was abashed but determined in a childlike manner.

"They're called _Casablanca Lilies_, they only bloom at night." Jack explained in a quiet voice. "I saw them growing nearby and their color sort of reminded me of you. It's a gift for all of your good work."

_But I didn't save that girl._ Sandy thought to himself sadly as he nodded his head in thanks. _I didn't do such a good job tonight._

As though sensing his self-depreciating thoughts, Jack went on, "These flowers are like the light in the darkness in a way. They bloom in the dark and make people happy when they see them. They're fragrant, elegant, and delicate."

Sandy nodded. Jack sighed.

"But they don't always do a good job though." Sandy's head snapped up in surprise. The winter spirit smiled at him. "I mean, look, they didn't even cheer you up."

Sand opened his mouth to protest but Jack held up a pale hand, stopping him.

"Sandy, life is a complicated thing. Things always don't go the way we want them to. But that's what makes life precious, they're filled with troubles and challenges that makes them worth living, makes it worth fighting for." He said in a soft tone, looking at the moon. "People make mistakes, even immortals like us, and sometimes we're too late to do anything-"

Sandy's breath caught in his throat as he looked at blue eyes twinkling in understanding.

"-but that shouldn't get us down though. Rather, we should be more determined to do better next time. Do you know what I mean?" Jack said with a wide grin full of mischief but not unkind.

Sandy nodded numbly as he looked at the flowers.

"You can't save everyone…" Jack said his voice becoming a whisper. "Just like how those flowers can't always make someone happy."

Sandy's lips trembled as he nodded and before he knew it, his sands were already forming the story, telling a tale of hundreds- all dying from dreams, telling of how heartbreaking and frustrating it was that sometimes he would be too late to do anything-

Instead of being judgmental or disappointed, Jack looked at him with bright and kind blue eyes, nodding along as he patted the older guardian on the head.

By the time Sandy finally finished his story of sands, he was exhausted. Jack remained quiet, knowing how the sandman appreciated silence more than words in situations like this. The silence is comforting though and eventually, the sandman falls into a sense of relief and content.

But too soon, he already had to go.

Jack said nothing and only smiled and waved when Sandy explained that he had to get going. The silence wasn't the type where Jack was hurt by his sudden departure, rather it was one filled with understanding. And as Sandy climbed on top of clouds made of golden sand, his arms filled with yellow lilies, he turned and watched as Jack flew off into the night, shoulders hunched as though reminiscent.

And when he is nothing more than a dot in the cloudless sky, Sandy remembered that Jack is a being of snow and ice, the maker of blizzards and he wondered…

…How many times had Jack mourned the death of people who died because of his own creation?

* * *

A few weeks later, Sandy heard that the girl had finally been buried in her town's cemetery, her soul finally put to rest by her mourning parents. He takes a break from his rounds to go to the cemetery, stopping at a nearby flower garden to pick up lilies the color of the guardian of Fun's hair, before he flies towards her grave.

He floats to a stop however when he sees familiar looking flowers, lying gently in front of the head stone.

The sandman kneels, golden eyes wide as sun-colored _Casablanca lilies_ covered at least a feet of the cement, dew drops glittering under the sun. On top of the flowers, delicately placed, was a small ice sculpture of the Sandman carrying flowers, a gentle smile on his face.

A small slip of paper was under the sculpture which Sandy takes with careful hands to unfold.

"_Hold fast to dreams,  
For if dreams die  
Life is a broken-winged bird,  
That cannot fly."_

Sandy smiled a small smile as he bowed his head in respect to the little girl's grave.

_To the dreamer that we will hold close to our heart and never ever forget._ Were the words his golden sands formed as he prayed.

* * *

_Toothiana_

* * *

Jack knew from the light buzzing of the wings, to the soft droop of Tooth's feathers as she glanced around the remains of her palace, quarters scattered about, a few tooth boxes strewn in random places and the rotted image of the portrait by her sacred lake, that there was _a lot_ of work to do time, _time_ to be given to get everything back to normal again.

Time Tooth didn't have if she wanted to get the kids believing again.

"It is a lot of work." North commented. "But we will getting everything fixed as soon as we can. Yetis who are not busy will help and I'm sure Bunny will be happy to paint you new mural-"

"Bunny's too busy!" Tooth said with a soft shake of her head. Sandy and Bunny had departed towards the Warren immediately, after the confrontation with Pitch. They had to clean up the broken eggs from the tunnels and set up a last minute Easter Egg Hunt for the rest of the world who were still experiencing Easter Sunday. "And I know you have your own mess to clean up back at the North Pole, North. So thank you but the girls and I-" The tooh fairy looked around before sighing. "We'll handle this."

The old Cossack looked around hesitantly, watching a few fairies limp in the air as they flew while others moved the memory boxes back to their places. Jack pursed his lips as he watched the old Santa nod his head in resignation.

The old workshop was also a casualty of Pitch's attack. The bogeyman had managed to destroy one half of the production and North was going to have to get busy for at least a few weeks before he would be able to get his production level back up again.

"But when I am done, after Bunny's hibernation and Sandy's rounds, we _will_ come and help you Tooth. You can count on that." The old Santa said with conviction as the guardian of Memories gave him a smile.

"Thank you, I'll hold the fort while you're gone." She assured as the old Santa turned with a determined expression, willing to finish the work on his quarters.

"Let us go, Jack." North said as he took out his snow globe and threw it at the floor, creating a portal to the workshop. The winter spirit nodded, before he flew towards Tooth and nodded at her politely.

"We promise we'll be back." He said with a small smile that made Tooth and her fairies' breath hitched.

"I know, thank you Jack." Tooth said when she regained herself and smiled back. "We're all going to do the rounds today, only the injured will remain in the palace with Baby Tooth. Drop by if you can."

Blue eyes lightened as Jack's smiled widened. "Yeah, see you Tooth!" He said as he flew back to North who waited patiently by the portal.

The tooth fairy waved as North waved before going through the portal with Jack.

When the two were gone, the guardian of memories sighed and Baby Tooth hovered neared her mother's face, chirping in worry. Tooth gave her a sad smile before she said, "Well, let's get to work then!" She said injecting determination in her voice.

* * *

"It's been fifteen hours, I think we deserve break." North puffed out a breath as he wiped sweat from his brow. All around, yetis and elves were collapsed in a heap, tired from fixing and removing toys, rebuilding walls, beams, and parts of the workshop all over again. Pitch had destroyed the left wing in his rage after that one believer refused to be put out- and they were only half done with the repairs.

The old Santa turned to look at Jack who was leaning against an unbroken pillar, blue eyes dim with his exhaustion as he controlled his own panting. The sprite had been the most helpful of all, being the only one to be able to fly as he carried light and heavy objects wherever the yetis directed him, refreezing some of the icebergs that have started to melt to give North's place a sturdier foundation, helping the elves not be get stomped on, passing around snacks, rebuilding or fixing some of North's ice sculpture, and even helping one of yeti repaint an entire army of robots from blue to red.

The elves ran about, carrying cookies and eggnogs, some went to Jack offering him a seat and shoes but the winter spirit just shooed at them with a smirk.

"Jack, you should lie down and rest. I'm sure you are tired from ordeal with Pitch." North called out to the young guardian who just smiled.

"Thanks, North I actually have somewhere to be right now. Hey, can I borrow some paint? I promise I'll come back in a moment to help out after your break." The guardian of Fun said with a wink.

The stunned Santa nodded but before he could say anything to the other, the guardian of Fun was already out of reach, flying to get his needed materials.

* * *

It takes Toothiana a longer time than she likes to come back to her palace. She had delivered over thousands of coins to the little girls and boys in the world. It was only in her thousand and fifty-sixth time that her fairies intervened and told her to go back. They all clumped together, making a detour arrow sign to their queen.

The fairy queen huffed in annoyance at that, but she knew they only did that because they cared. After all, it's been four hundred years since she was out of the nest.

Flying through the windows of her nest, Tooth let out a yawn as she thought of checking on the destruction on the palace first and then on the injured, so that she could estimate the number of days needed-

_Oh._

Pressing delicate hands onto her mouth, Tooth gasped softly as she _truly_ looked around for the first time since she came back.

The pillars of her palace were mixed with bronze, gold, and silver coins, shining as though they never deteriorated from the lack of belief in the first place. The flooring and the tall building looked sturdier than ever before which was really surprising because- could a short time outside with her fairies cause so much belief and made her palace grander than before?

No, something must've triggered the sudden upsurge.

Flying speedily towards her globe, her amethyst eyes widened at the millions of delicate little lights reflecting on her eyes. A sob tore itself through her throat as her small shoulders shook with the cries of happiness that tore from within her tired, worn heart.

She thought it would take _years_…

_Thank goodness._ She thought as she covered her face as sudden chirping made her look up. She let out a choked gasp once more when she realized that the fairies flying towards her were the injured ones-

Only, they weren't limping anymore. They were glowing healthily, smiling at her with bright little white teeth. Baby Tooth flew somewhere at the far back, smiling herself at her sisters' recovery.

"What happened-?" Tooth asked as she cupped her hands and let her fairies chirped and talked to her at the same time. "Who-Who did this-?"

But the chirps were overriding one another, and in the end, it was Baby Tooth who showed her the answer, pulling at her wrist lightly before flying off to the holy spring, found far below their quarters.

The guardian of Memories followed, her eyes shining with curiosity as she flew down with the rest of her fairies.

It was cold.

But not in an unpleasant way, it was cold in a relaxing manner. It was like someone with the power of ice and snow had come, mixing his magic with patience and gentleness through the atmosphere, icing the tree just enough so that they may grow healthily with the melting ice, dew drops on the leaves. The grass was frosted, but not unpleasantly so, not killing but rather enhancing the sight of the hidden path in the Tooth palace- the place where Tooth revealed to Jack his hidden memories.

But apparently it wasn't the ice on the trees or the frost on the grass that Baby Tooth wanted to show- although the fairy queen could already grasp the idea on who was there- the small fairy flew towards the stone wall, the one that used to show the painting of her and the children and the importance of teeth and memories before it rotted with the lack of belief-

"Wha-?" Tooth whispered, her eyes watering as she flew closer for an inspection. "Jack- Jack did this?" Her voice trembled as the tears fell from her eyes as she laughed and wiped at them. "He came and did all of this?"

Baby Tooth chirped in affirmation as the guardian of memories placed her hands on the stone. In front of her was the old painting that was the center piece of the holy grounds. Only now, if it was possible, the painting was more exquisite, the details and the newly embossed paint enhanced the image. It still had the traditional style of painting but more realistic in a way.

And on the very bottom of that painting on top of a small rock, barely noticeable in the color-filled surroundings, was a delicate ice sculpture of a mini tooth fairy, her small hands clasped on a tooth as she smiled.

Tooth flew over and grabbed the small gift, a piece of parchment nearly flitting away before she managed to catch it.

_Feel better soon. We'll make them all believe again, I swear._

It was written with left over blue paint and all Tooth could do was laugh as she flew to the grass and sank onto her knees, the same way she did, not-so long ago when she realized the children didn't believe anymore. Only now, she was weak on the knees at the overwhelming happiness that coursed through her as she hugged the sculpture to her heart.

* * *

Meanwhile…

Somewhere in Burgess, on a branch of a tree near one of his believer's houses, Jack Frost had his hood up, sleeping with a smile on his face as the sun came up, its light shining on the frosted window panes of every house.

Four figures of frost were delicately patterned in each glass- the guardians created by a frosted breath by a winter being with a warm and loving heart.

_Believe_.

* * *

**Important Notes: **The _Casablanca Lily_ is a very expensive and fragrant flower used in perfumes and weddings. It is a part of Lilium Genus which has more than 110 species. The flower has 6 petals and the colors vary from white, yellow, orange and purple to pink. If all types are planted, the garden will look like a splash of colors from the color palette of a painter. The flower is elegant, delicate and has an excellent fragrance.

"Hold fast to dreams,  
For if dreams die  
Life is a broken-winged bird,  
That cannot fly."  
― Langston Hughes

**Author's notes: **Finally got this out of my system! I can't believe it's been so long! The next chapter will be brought to you sooner as an apology for not updating frequently! I was supposed to go to school today but I had to finish this up because you know- it's the least I can do at least!

Sandy's part was inspired by _bangungot_ (_which is usually the onset of a stroke or heart attack during sleep. One cause is sleep apnea. It is a serious disorder that causes your breathing to stop repeatedly while you sleep. These breathing pauses or "apneas" usually last 10 to 30 seconds and can happen many times throughout the night_) a term for nightmares in my country, It's simply when people sleep, have a nightmare, and don't wake up anymore. There have been a few reports of it in our news a long time ago.

So, why have I only updated now? Well. **COLLEGE**. Curse it. And **ACCOUNTANCY DAYS **(it's a celebration for my course- why yes! I'm a business student XD) where I was chosen as one of the people who would run around trying to make sure the event was a success and people don't duck out (aka officers) and **EXAMS **and **QUIZZES **and **PROJECTS.**

You know. The usual **LIFE.**

So anyway, I apologize again! SORRY! SORRY! I'll update as soon as I can! And thanks for the wonderful reviews, like, and favorites! DX

**PART TWO **_coming to you soon!_

Also, sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes, or missing words. I was in a hurry again O. O


	27. Trauma

_**Ice Cubes**_

**Summary: **Because, even if he was scared, he just _wanted_ to _see them_ again.

* * *

**Trauma**

_Set after __**Aquaphobia**_

His teeth were chattering, his blue eyes were wide, and his hood was up as he swung up into the globe room of the North Pole. Thankfully, none of the guardians were there yet, so they did not see Jack collapse unto the floor, hugging himself as he shivered and panted.

He was so scared, _he was so scared!_

It was dark, and it was cold- he thought he was going to die _again_.

A choked sob escaped Jack's raw throat as he buried his cold face against his arms. The water had already frozen into his clothes, decorating them with more frost patterns than usual as he hiccupped and rubbed at his eyes.

It was an old, silly fear. Jack was an immortal now, he couldn't die and he could get out of any frozen pond, lake, or ocean thanks to his powers-

-but that still did not stop him from pounding his fists against the solidifying ice when he went under.

The young guardian was distracted from his thoughts, however, when a yeti suddenly came into the room. Jack's head snapped up and blue eyes met with brown ones as the winter spirit recognized the yeti he endearingly called 'Phil'.

"Phil!" Jack said automatically jumping up as he held up his hands defensively. His voice cracked as he spoke, "I can ex-" He was hardly able to finish his sentence when suddenly he was grabbed by the arm and thrown over massive shoulders like a sack of potatoes.

He protested, weakly, as he slammed his fists against the other's back. He pulled his hood lower when he they passed by yetis and elves who stared at them unashamed.

"Where are you taking me?" Jack asked in a quiet tone that shook a bit at the end. Phil just grunted as he turned left and went down a flight of stairs that led to a room that smelled heavenly.

When Jack was finally placed down- or rather thrown into a very comfy chair- he looked up and realized that he was in North's kitchen. A few elves ran here and there, dragging ingredient, others trying to steal cookies while one female yeti did the cooking.

Suddenly something slightly warm touched Jack's cheek and he jumped and almost fell off the chair. The young sprite looked up to see Phil rolling his eyes at his reaction. The guardian of Fun glared at the other as he accepted the slightly warm hot chocolate, balancing his staff in his lap.

Phil went away when Jack took the cup and the female yeti in the room placed a cold plate of cookies in front of Jack who hesitated for a few seconds before finally taking one.

The guardian was chewing thoughtfully on the sweet treat when he was suddenly surprised again by a warm weight on his shoulders. Placing a hand on his shoulders, he realized that Phil had placed a blanket over his slightly shivering form.

He watched with wide blue eyes as the security yeti grunted and sat himself in front of Jack, in an armchair opposite his, before looking into slightly dim blue eyes.

"What?" Jack said suspiciously as he bit on his cookie with a frown.

Phil frowned and grunted again as he gestured with his hands at the coco, cookies, and blanket.

"Oh." Jack said, finally understanding as he looked at his barefoot. He folded his legs under him as he said, "Well they're okay. Thanks." He muttered and Phil grunted in approval as he sat back and took the warm plate of cookies the female yeti offered him.

There was silence as the two ate.

"I guess, you want to know what happened, huh?" Jack finally said in a small tone. Phil said nothing as he looked at the boy who was still looking at the floor with a determined glare. "It's why you're so nice to me right?"

Phil made an incredulous noise that made Jack's frown deepen as he swallowed against the lump in his throat, his eyes were burning again like the time he was under the ice-

Jack began shaking as he pursed his lips and fought back against the wretched sobs that tore through his body. He gripped the blanket and held tight to the blanket, trying to be strong-

-when a warm paw was placed against his shoulder, stunning him enough that he looked up.

Phil was making a gentle croon in his low voice as he patted Jack on the head. The boy couldn't understand the other, but he knew that the yeti was comforting him in his own way and that- _that _was what made Jack curl onto himself, hugging his knees to his chest meaningless words escaping his mouth.

He had _saved_ his sister, his sweet adorable sister. He had _saved_ her.

But he had drowned. He had _drowned_ and _died_, and then he had woken up _alone_ and had stayed _alone_ for three hundred years.

He had no _family_, he had no _home_… He had no memories and there was only _cold_ and _dark_- _dark and cold_.

And then he remembered! He had his memory box and _remembered_!

He had a _home_ and a sister and a _mother_-

_He remembered what he had._

And now he just remembered what he had _lost_.

"I don't know what happened…" Jack said as he inhaled through his nose and his shoulders shook as Phil continued to comfort him. "The ice _cracked_ and I was drowning again and I- I- remembered-"

Wide blue eyes stared at concerned brown ones. "I remembered what they _looked like_." He said in awe as he sniffed and continued to shiver. "I remembered how we used to play hopscotch everyday and the- the wreath of flowers I made for my sister when it was Spring- I-"

Jack let out a breath as he rubbed at his eyes and tried to speak in a steady voice, "I was scared, I was alone and it was so cold _even for me_, but I don't know-" He mumbled, blue eyes distant, "Being like that- in the dark and in the cold- it somehow helped me remember and I-"

Phil looked at the other in alarm and worry, he did not know what the boy was thinking but he didn't like the look in the other's eyes. He had to somehow stop him, talk some sense into him before-

"Phil?" Came North's deep voice before the old Santa entered. Jack jumped from under Phil's grip, dropping he mug, spilling the already cold chocolate onto the floor, as the blanket dropped to the ground as well.

"Jack!" North said in surprise when the guardian of Fun smiled at the Cossack hesitantly, floating as he hugged his staff to his chest. "I did not know you were here! Guardian meeting started ten minutes ago! Bunny was getting cranky because you are late! Oh I can't wait to see his face when he sees you are earlier than him!" The Santa boomed in laughter and Jack joined uncertainly.

"Yeah, I was- Phil and I were just talking about something. Sorry." The other said quickly before he slipped into a familiar mischievous smile. "So, what are you doing here anyway old man?"

"Just came to see why cookies are taking so long." North said with a nonchalant wave of his hand. He turned his blue eyes at Phil. "I see Phil was flirting with Olga again."

Phil and the female cook yeti both blushed under their fur as they began to grumble at the same time, making Jack laugh and a few elves wolf-whistle.

"Aw, Phil, I didn't know!" Jack said with a grin. "When's the wedding? I'm your best man right?"

Phil glared at Jack as the other zoomed out of the yeti's reach, laughing. "Anyway North, go grab your cookies and let's get back. Don't want Cottontail losing his fur with all his worrying."

"I do not get why he will lose fur from worrying." North scratched his beard as he picked up the plate of warm cookies that was set for Phil. They yeti let out a protest that went unheard as North waved at him. "Have Olga make you new plate of cookies. Bonding time, yes?" North called out as he led the way out.

Jack laughed again as he followed the other. Blue eyes glanced back anxiously at Phil before the winter spirit smiled uncertainly and waved before flying after the guardian of Wonder.

Phil only sighed as he ran a big paw down his face as he faced Olga who shook her head as though saying, _Humans, I'll never understand them._

Phil nodded in agreement, but still he could not help but look at Jack's back in worry as he disappeared.

* * *

The guardians had noticed his strange behavior, but for once Jack did not care. His aim was just to get out of there as soon as he could.

He pretended not to notice Tooth's worried glances as he remained silent for most of the time. He pretended not to hear Bunny's taunts and his frustrations when he didn't respond. He pretended to smile and be fine when Sandy directed silent questions his way. He pretended to laugh at North's jokes even when they grew more and more desperate and strained with every forced chuckle Jack let out.

And finally, when the old Cossack dismissed them, Jack was up and about in no time, jumping through the window, ignoring the calls behind him as he flew towards the only place he had been thinking of in his mind.

When his feet felt the familiar cold and smooth surface of his lake, Jack let out a sigh he did not know he was holding as he looked down at the frozen body of water. His breath came out frosty as snow began to fall gently from the sky, the boy's blue eyes staring down onto the ice.

Involuntarily, Jack began to shiver as he closed his eyes and remembered how he had _di- _drowned in this place. It was filled with so many happy memories- he didn't know if he should be thankful or horrified that he had died in such a way in such an important place.

Crouching down, the young Frost placed a hand on the surface. It cracked at his touch, or rather at his will, as though it felt what he had wanted to do from the beginning.

The ice fell away from his touch and Jack sucked in a breath when he saw the dark depths of cold water beneath the ice. He almost took a step back, his hands shaking at the thought of going under again but-

"_Jack!_" A voice stopped him in his tracks. He began to pant as he remembered the blurry smiling face of his sister. There was a fond laugh, "_Come on, let's play!_"

Jack's eyes began to burn again, the familiar pressure of sadness pushed at his heart. "You're."

"_Come on, just jump! You'll be fine._" His sister laughed, and he remembered these words. They were the words his sister used when they played hopscotch for the first time. He remembered laughing at her comment, because his sister wasn't any good at hopscotch at all at the time.

"You promise?" His past and his current self's voice overlapped as Jack took a step forward, towards the crack.

Brown eyes looked up at him earnestly, the same way they did when he gave his life up for her, a smile brighter than the sun was turned his way. "_I promise._"

"Okay." Jack said as he hovered his feet over the cold waters. Everything was silent as Jack closed his eyes and whispered. "I trust you, Pippa."

And just like that, Jack dropped like a stone into the cold, unforgiving waters.

* * *

The young winter spirit knew, as the cold surrounded him and enfolded his prone figure into its embrace, that if he managed to get out of his solidifying ice once more, this won't be the last time he'd be jumping into his freezing lake chasing the shadows of people he loved.

A _smiling_ sister, a _loving_ mother, and a _warm_ home greeted him as he smiled despite the cold biting at his skin.

Pale lips formed words he had long wanted to say as Jack's form began to slowly freeze.

"_I'm home._" He whispered _longingly_ into the empty void he had created for himself, when he jumped in after people he would _never_ see again.

* * *

**Important Notes:** The order of this arc is like this: **Aquaphobia **-** TRAUMA **-** Sleeping Beneath Ice **-** ? ? ? **-** Weird Habits **-** ? ? ?**

Yes, Jack eventually got out of the lake but then he kept coming back and freezing himself under the lake. Until one day, he lost track of time and froze himself longer than necessary and yeah- **Sleeping Beneath Ice** happened.

**Author's notes: **It's been awhile since I updated this arc. Thanks for your patience and understanding! I love you all for being so understanding T^T

To **FrostFan** Don't give up on this story, I'm still alive! I was just _busy_ D:

To** Bookfangirl** T^T You're amazing for still reviewing this (and everyone else is amazing too!), give me a little more time and I swear I'll have your fic up! *Determined*

So, thanks again guys! I have to go and study, my exams starts this week and next week! WISH ME LUCK :D


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